International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 15, Issue 4, 2018

A comparative study of behavior problems among left-behind children, migrant children and local children (Article) (Open Access)

Hu H. , Gao J.* , Jiang H. , Guo S. , Chen K. , Jin K. , Qi Y.
  • a School of Public Administration and Policy, Renmin University of China, No. 59, Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District, Beijing, 100872, China
  • b Institute of Population Research, Peking University, No.5, Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, China
  • c School of Humanities and Social Sciences, North China Electric Power University, No. 689, Huadian Road, Lianchi District, Baoding, 071003, China; Institute of Population Research, Peking University, No.5, Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, China
  • d School of Humanities and Social Sciences, North China Electric Power University, No. 689, Huadian Road, Lianchi District, Baoding, 071003, China
  • e School of Humanities and Social Sciences, North China Electric Power University, No. 689, Huadian Road, Lianchi District, Baoding, 071003, China
  • f School of Humanities and Social Sciences, North China Electric Power University, No. 689, Huadian Road, Lianchi District, Baoding, 071003, China
  • g School of Humanities and Social Sciences, North China Electric Power University, No. 689, Huadian Road, Lianchi District, Baoding, 071003, China

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. © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

Left-behind children Migrant Children Behavioral problems

Index Keywords

descriptive research China correlation analysis human risk assessment clinical assessment tool Psychology, Child controlled study abandoned child comparative study Children Behavior Checklist Logistic Models Health Surveys Humans Cross-Sectional Studies school child migrant syndrome cross-sectional study Adolescent problem behavior male psychology environmental factor female preschool child child psychology risk factor high risk population child health prevalence Article major clinical study migration statistical model Transients and Migrants Child child care social behavior health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85044958927&doi=10.3390%2fijerph15040655&partnerID=40&md5=b20ee0db1407b91a6baf30a0c5383fc6
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15040655
ISSN: 16617827
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English