“Leftover” or Choosing to be Single: Dilemmas of "Leftover Women" in Sandwich Generations in China and Their Mental Health Outcomes

Since 1980, most families have been restricted to one child despite the traditional preference for larger families. The one-child policy has created a unique generation of sole caretakers for their parents with no sibling help. The policy officially ended in 2015 in response to concerns about the aging population. However, instead of a significant increase in newborns that many predicted or hoped for, the birth rate in China has been decreasing. Shengnu, “leftover women”, or career-oriented women who remain single in their late twenties and beyond, embody clashing ideologies in modern China. Some view shengnu as a byproduct of the one-child policy, which allowed women to gain greater educational and professional achievements with more allocated resources as the only child in their households. On the one hand, the derogatory label is used to chastise women who are "left" like damaged goods for lacking traditional feminine virtues, being self-centred, having unrealistically high expectations for romantic partners, and abandoning traditional gender roles. On the other hand, many women take pride in their autonomy in choosing to be single or childless. Shengnu represents the other side of the coin of the sandwich generation. When shengnu avoid the fate of being a “family donkey,” caring for parents, parents-in-law, potentially grandparents, and child/children, they face social humiliation, family pressure, and the demand for higher achievements to justify their choices. Research on the mental health outcomes of shengnu is extremely limited. This paper provides a historical, social, and cultural analysis of the phenomenon and lays the groundwork for understanding their mental health outcomes concerning dating potential, career advancement, filial piety, freedom, and sense of completeness. Understanding shengnu will complement our understanding of the sandwich generations and how women respond to the increasing double burden of family and work.