Cheng Zhao|Rui Wang|Leah Li|Xudong Zhou|Thérèse Hesketh
Long-term impacts of parental migration on Chinese children’s psychosocial well-being: mitigating and exacerbating factors
University College London|Zhejiang University|University College London|Zhejiang University|Zhejiang University
prolonged separation migrant parents raises concerns wellbeing 60 million left behind children lbc rural china study aimed investigate impact current previous parental migration child psychosocial wellbeing focus emotional behavioral outcomes considering factors family care support children recruited schools migrantsending rural areas zhejiang guizhou provinces random stratified sampling selfadministered questionnaire measured childrens psychosocial wellbeing demographics household characteristics social support multiple linear regression models examined effects parental migration factors psychosocial difficulties data 1930 current 907 previous 701 never lbc included mean age 124 sd 21 adjusted models showed previous current parental migration associated significantly higher overall psychosocial difficulties involving aspects emotion conduct peer relationships hyperactivity prosocial behaviors parental divorce lack available support demonstrated strong association greater total difficulties children guizhou much worse psychosocial outcomes zhejiang adjusted subgroup analysis showed similar magnitude betweenprovince disparities regardless parental migration status however divorced parents lack support greater psychosocial risk factors current previouslbc never lbc parental migration independent longlasting adverse effect children psychosocial wellbeing lbc depends relationship bonds nuclear family members availability support rather socioeconomic status