Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 16, Issue 5, 2014, Pages 781-789

The Impact of Parental Migration on the Mental Health of Children Left Behind (Article)

Adhikari R.* , Jampaklay A. , Chamratrithirong A. , Richter K. , Pattaravanich U. , Vapattanawong P.
  • a Geography and Population Department, Mahendra Ratna Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
  • b Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
  • c Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
  • d Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
  • e Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand
  • f Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of parental international migration on the mental health of children left behind. Data for this paper were taken from the “Child Health and Migrant Parents in South-East Asia, Thailand, 2008” project. A total of 1,030 children (519 from emigrant parents and 511 from non-migrant parents) were covered. Data were collected from the caregivers of children using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multivariate analyses were performed to determine the association between parental migration and the mental health status of children left behind. Several factors were significantly associated with children’s mental health. Our study did not find any association between current parental migration status and mental health status of the children left behind. The study found, however, that mother’s earlier migration history had a significant, independent association with mental health problems of the children left behind. Therefore, effective strategies to prevent such mental health problems among children are warranted. © 2013, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Mental health Migration Children left behind

Index Keywords

Thailand mental health sex difference human epidemiology statistics and numerical data Humans male preschool child female Child, Preschool questionnaire Parent-Child Relations Questionnaires migration age Sex Factors Age Factors Emigration and Immigration child parent relation Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84919882905&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-013-9809-5&partnerID=40&md5=4a2a323210f723c9cfc31afbca2fdc7c
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-013-9809-5
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 22
Original Language: English