Psychological Security of Firstborn Children under a Two-Child Policy

This study surveys 256 adolescents aged 13-15 to understand firstborn children's psychological security and attitudes to their parents having a second child and further explore the correlation between such security and such attitudes under China's newly implemented two-child policy. The survey is conducted with the aid of two scales: Psychological Security Scale made by Cong Zhong and An Lijuan and self-made Questionnaire on Attitudes to Parents Having a Second Child. The data of the questionnaires are recorded in Excel sheets and analyzed with SPSS 20.0 through descriptive statistical analysis, variance analysis, rank correlation analysis and other statistical approaches. The results reveal a positive correlation between psychological security and attitudes to parents having a second child for firstborn children in their adolescence, where there are significant differences in age. It is finally suggested that the school should establish a psychological counseling room, a psychological vent room and an online parents-school contact platform, and employ a certain number of psychological counseling teachers. In this way, students can find a place to vent when in a bad mood, while the school can guide students to a higher level of psychological security by having them correctly face stressful life events and reduce anxiety, panic and other negative feelings. In addition, parents are advised to take their firstborn into account in their plan of having a second child. They should communicate more with their firstborn, allow for their inner feelings and prevent the thought that a second child will take away parental love.