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A Comparative Study of Behavior Problems among Left-Behind Children, Migrant Children and Local Children
Hongwei Hu1, Jiamin Gao2, Haochen Jiang3
1School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, No. 59, Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100872, China. whuhhw@126.com.
Insights
Left-behind and migrant children in China exhibit higher rates of behavioral problems compared to local children. Family migration factors contribute to increased risks for these vulnerable youth.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Millions of children in China are left behind or migrate due to parental absence.
- Understanding the mental health implications for these children is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the prevalence of behavioral problems in left-behind, migrant, and local children.
- To compare the risks of behavioral problems among these groups.
- To identify contributing individual and environmental factors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from a 2017 survey of 4479 Chinese children aged 6-16.
- Employed the Children Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for assessing behavioral issues.
- Conducted descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and logistic regressions.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of behavioral problems was 18.80% for left-behind children and 13.59% for migrant children, both higher than local children.
- Logistic regression revealed increased risks for total, internalizing, and externalizing behaviors in left-behind and migrant children.
- Left-behind children showed higher internalizing risks, while migrant children exhibited higher externalizing risks.
Conclusions:
- Left-behind and migrant children are more vulnerable to behavioral problems than local children.
- Individual and environmental factors significantly associate with child behavioral problems.
- Family migration is a contributing factor to the elevated risks observed in these populations.
Abstract:
This study aims to estimate the prevalence of behavioral problems among left-behind children, migrant children and local children in China, and to compare the risks of behavioral problems among the three types of children. Data on 4479 children aged 6-16 used in this study were from a survey conducted in China in 2017. The school-age version of the Children Behavior Checklist was used to measure children's behavioral problems. Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and logistic regressions were conducted. The prevalence of behavioral problems was 18.80% and 13.59% for left-behind children and migrant children, respectively, both of which were higher than that of local children. Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustments for individual and environmental variables, the likelihood of total, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems for left-behind children and migrant children were higher than those for local children; left-behind children had a higher likelihood of internalizing problems than externalizing problems, while migrant children had a higher prevalence of externalizing problems. Left-behind children had a higher prevalence of each specific syndrome than migrant and local children. Both individual and environmental factors were associated with child behavioral problems, and family migration may contribute to the increased risks. Left-behind and migrant children were more vulnerable than local children to behavioral problems.
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