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The effect of left-behind phenomenon and physical neglect on behavioral problems of children
Yu-Jie Wen1, Xian-Bin Li1, Xi-Xi Zhao1
1The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders & Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Center of Schizophrenia, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100088, China.
Insights
Left-behind children in rural China exhibit more behavioral issues, including inattention and conduct problems. Physical neglect exacerbates these problems, highlighting the need for targeted support for vulnerable children.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychiatry
Background:
- Left-behind children, particularly in Eastern countries like China, face a high incidence of behavioral problems.
- Physical neglect is a significant manifestation of the challenges faced by children separated from their parents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the combined impact of physical neglect and the experience of being left behind on the behavioral problems of children.
- To differentiate the effects of physical neglect versus the trauma of separation on child behavior.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 776 children aged 12-16 years, including 600 left-behind children, was recruited from rural China using cluster sampling.
- The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form and Conners Teacher Rating Scale were employed to assess physical neglect and behavioral issues, respectively.
Main Results:
- Left-behind children showed significantly higher rates of physical neglect and inattentiveness compared to non-left-behind children.
- Children experiencing both physical neglect and being left behind displayed more severe conduct problems, inattention, and hyperactivity.
- Physical neglect was associated with more pronounced conduct problems than being left behind alone, while being left behind contributed more to inattention.
Conclusions:
- Left-behind children are at a higher risk for behavioral problems, with physical neglect acting as a significant exacerbating factor.
- Interventions should prioritize physically neglected children, especially those who are also left behind, to mitigate severe conduct and attention issues.
Objective:
Left-behind children have a high incidence of behavioral problems in some Eastern countries, especially China. We sought to assess the combined effects of physical neglect, a major embodiment of the left-behind phenomenon, and the trauma of being left behind on subsequent behavioral problems.
Method:
776 children (including 600 left-behind children) aged 12-16 years were chosen by cluster sampling in rural China. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form and the Conners Teacher Rating Scale were used to evaluate physical neglect and behavioral problems.
Results:
Left-behind children experienced more physical neglect (mean difference = 0.63; 95%CI 0.15-1.10; P = 0.01) and were more inattentive (mean difference=0.11; 95%CI 0.03-0.19; P = 0.009) than non-left-behind children. Physically neglected left-behind children had higher scores for conduct problems, inattention, and hyperactivity index than non-left-behind without physical neglect group (P < 0.05 for each). Among left-behind children, physical neglect group had significantly more conduct problems than those of controls (mean difference=0.14; 95%CI 0.05-0.23; P = 0.008). Physically neglected non-left-behind children had higher scores for conduct problems than those of left-behind children without physical neglect (mean difference=0.31; 95%CI 0.13-0.47; P = 0.003). Among physically neglected children, left-behind children had significantly higher scores for inattention than those of non-left-behind children (mean difference=0.13; 95%CI 0.04-0.22; P = 0.037).
Conclusion:
Left-behind children have more behavioral problems than non-left-behind children. Physical neglect may result in more severe conduct problems than those associated with staying behind, and staying behind may lead to inattention. Exposure to both may lead to more obvious behavioral problems. Therefore, we should accord more attention to physically neglected and left-behind children.
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