How parental migration affects early social-emotional development of left-behind children in rural China : a structural equation modeling analysis

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the early social-emotional development of left-behind children (LBC) in rural China and determined the mediating factors linking parental migration to LBC's developmental outcome.

METHODS: We used cross-sectional data of 845 LBC under 3 years old from five counties in rural China in 2018. Social-emotional problems were assessed by the ages and stages questionnaires: social-emotional. Family structure, function, and child nurturing care practices were measured to explore their roles in potential pathways of parental migration affecting early social-emotional development.

RESULTS: 36.4% of LBC were identified with social-emotional problems; the rate was higher among LBC with migrant parents than those with migrant fathers (39.9% vs. 30.5%, adjusted OR: 1.40 [95% CI 1.01, 1.93]). Results of structural equation modeling reveal that caregivers' low education and depressive symptoms, poor migrant-caregiver communication, family poverty, and no assistant caregiving weakened home parenting environment, and then contributed to LBC's social-emotional problems.

CONCLUSIONS: LBC in early childhood may be at a high risk of social-emotional problems, which are primarily caused by the transition of family structure and function and consequently weakened home environment.

Errataetall:

ErratumIn: Int J Public Health. 2020 Nov 12;:. - PMID 33184682

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2020

Erschienen:

2020

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:65

Enthalten in:

International journal of public health - 65(2020), 9 vom: 01. Dez., Seite 1711-1721

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Shi, Huifeng [VerfasserIn]
Zhao, Chunxia [VerfasserIn]
Dou, Yan [VerfasserIn]
Duan, Xiaoqian [VerfasserIn]
Yang, Lingyan [VerfasserIn]
Du, Yufeng [VerfasserIn]
Huang, Xiaona [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Xiaoli [VerfasserIn]
Zhang, Jingxu [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Early childhood
Journal Article
Left-behind children
Parental migration
Rural China
Social–emotional development

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 14.04.2021

Date Revised 14.04.2021

published: Print-Electronic

ErratumIn: Int J Public Health. 2020 Nov 12;:. - PMID 33184682

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1007/s00038-020-01509-w

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM316273414