Dr. Feng Xiaotian, a professor at Central China University of Science and Technology, said he came to the conclusion after surveying more than 1,000 primary and middle school students and their parents in major cities.

The survey found that the first only-child generation did not show distinct personality defects, compared to other generations, said Xinhua news agency.

The one-child policy has been in place for nearly 20 years as a measure to control the population growth of the world's most-populous country.

The first only-child generation is beginning to enter the work force.

Earlier social studies claimed that single children were healthier and more intelligent but less developed in aspects of personality and behavior than their non-only-child peers, Feng concluded.

The latest survey conducted by Feng concentrated on the personality, behavior, self-identification, social skills, social norms and goals of the two groups.

Only-child students were more sociable than their non-only-child counterparts, said the professor. The study showed that they were also more likely to make friends and communicate in middle school and they had more friends.

Feng interpreted the results as contradicting the popular belief that only-child children are self-centered and unsociable. He said that the belief was formed from studies of infants and preschool students. Children without siblings felt compelled to make friends with people outside the family and thus became more sociable.

Feng pointed out that these differences will disappear as the children mature. Later in life, the only-child group will be more independent and more advanced in some other aspects than the other group, the sociologist added.

(Xinhua 01/09/2001)