Feng Wang|Leesa Lin|Mingming Xu|Leah Li|Jingjing Lu|Xudong Zhou
Mental Health among Left-Behind Children in Rural China in Relation to Parent-Child Communication
Zhejiang University|London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine|Faculty of Public Health|Harvard Global Health Institute|Harvard University|Zhejiang University|University of London|University College London|Zhejiang University|Zhejiang University
china estimated 41 million leftbehind children lbc objective study examine mental health currentleftbehind children currentlbc previousleftbehind children previouslbc compared neverleftbehind children neverlbc considering factors like parentchild communication children recruited schools rural areas anhui province eastern china participants completed questionnaire focusing migration status mental health parentchild communication measured validated strengths difficulties questionnaire sdq parentadolescent communication scale pacs full data available 1251 current 473 previous 268 neverlbc anhui province adjusting confounding variables results showed current previous parental migration associated significantly higher mental health difficulties including aspects emotional symptoms conduct problems hyperactivity total difficulties additionally found difficulties communicating parents strongly associated presence greater total difficulties children parental migration independent longlasting negative effect children poor parentchild communication strongly associated childrens mental health results indicate parentchild communication important development children interventions needed improve migrant parents understanding communication skills children