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The scale of migration has increased exponentially in recent decades in much of Southeast Asia. Emerging longitudinal evidence suggests lasting impacts of parental migration on their children's education and well-being. However, little is known about how parental migration during childhood shapes youth's transition to adulthood. This study thus used two waves of survey data collected in 2008–2010 and 2019 from households (N = 872) in Thailand to assess 1) the long-term impacts of parental migration on young adults' labour activities, marriage, and childbearing, and 2) how these impacts vary based on which parent(s) migrated and whether they are international or internal migrants. We found that maternal/biparental migration, compared with paternal migration, more significantly affected young people's labour activities and age at marriage. Moreover, these effects appear to be more pronounced for males than females. Additionally, parental migration's impacts on youths' transitional outcomes vary by internal or international migration of their parents. These results highlight the gender-specific and context-dependent nature of the long-term implications of parental migration. This study thus provides new empirical evidence to advance the understanding of the diverse patterns of transitions among Asian youth in the context of parental migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poly-victimization (PV) not only threatens physical and mental health but also causes a range of social problems. Left-behind children in rural areas are more likely to experience PV problems. However, there have been fewer studies on PV among rural children, and even fewer intervention studies. Objective: The difference-in-differences method was employed to analyze the impact of intervention measures, based on the theory of planned behavior, on PV among left-behind children in rural areas. Methods: The study subjects were left-behind children from six middle schools in two cities in southern China, who completed the baseline survey from 2020 to 2021. They were divided into a control group and an intervention group, each consisting of 228 cases, based on their schools. Before and after the intervention, the Self-made victimization-related knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire, Poly-victimization scale, and Middle school students' coping style scale were used to evaluate the victimization-related KAP(knowledge, attitude, and practice), victimization occurrence, and coping styles of left-behind children, respectively. Stata 15.0 was used to establish a difference-in-differences regression model to analyze the impact of the intervention measures on poly-victimization and coping styles. Results: Mixed Anova revealed that after the intervention, the KAP scores of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.05). After the intervention, the incidence of child victimization in the intervention group dropped to 9.60% (n = 22), lower than in the baseline survey, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01). The incidence of PV among children in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group, with the difference being statistically significant (p < 0.01). The net reduction in the incidence of PV among children was 21.20%. After the intervention, the protection rate for preventing PV among children was 73.33%, and the effect index was 3.75. The intervention improved children's coping styles, problem-solving, and help-seeking, while reducing negative coping styles such as avoidance and venting, with the differences being statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Intervention measures based on the theory of planned behavior reduce the occurrence of PV among left-behind children, and the intervention effects on different types of victimization are also different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Left‐behind children are likely to experience peer victimization, which can have detrimental consequences in their developmental outcomes. Yet, limited longitudinal research have examined peer victimization trajectories over time or the factors associated with left‐behind children in China. The purpose of the present study was to examine what, if any, distinct trajectories of peer victimization exist among left‐behind children and whether these trajectories are related to school climate, left‐behind status, and their interactions. Participants were 853 Chinese left‐behind children (Mage = 14.25, SD = 2.39; 43.4% girls) who participated in a four‐wave longitudinal study conducted in rural China. Participants reported school climate (indexed by safety and order, acceptance and support, equality and fairness, autonomy and cooperation) at T1 and peer victimization across T1 to T4 spanning 2 years. Latent class growth analyses identified four peer victimization trajectories, including a stably low‐decreasing group, a moderate‐decreasing group, a high‐decreasing group, and an increasing group. Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that children who perceived more positive school climate were more likely to exhibit a stably low‐decreasing trajectory compared to the other three groups. In addition, among left‐behind children who perceived more positive school climate, children with single‐parent migrating were more likely to be members of the stably low‐decreasing group as compared to those with both‐parent migrating. Peer victimization among left‐behind children is a concern especially for those who were left behind by both parents and perceived less positive school climate. Targeted school‐based interventions and services focused on reducing peer victimization and improving school climate are needed for left‐behind children, especially those with both‐parent migrating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-esteem serves as a fundamental indicator for assessing the mental health of left-behind children in China. Previous studies have placed more emphasis on investigating its current situation, while overlooking its dynamic changes with social development. Methods: This research project used the approach of cross-temporal meta-analysis to analyze 72 papers that used the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, ranging from 2006 to 2020(date of data collection) and covering 29,835 left-behind children, to delve into the diachronic changes and influencing factors of self-esteem of left-behind children over the years. Results: The outcomes demonstrated that: (1) The self-esteem scores of Chinese left-behind children increased from 30.74 in 2006 to 32.7 in 2020. (2) The level of self-esteem among left-behind children was significantly correlated with social indicators (economic conditions and educational level) for the actual year, 3 years prior, or 5 years prior to the self-esteem data collection. Conclusions: The level of self-esteem of left-behind children has been rising between 2006 and 2020. In addition, it is noteworthy that social development had a significant influence on predicting changes in the self-esteem of left-behind children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. This study examines the relationship between reputational threat and altruistic behavior in children aged 6-11 and explores how social inhibition and group relationships affect this behavior. Study 1 involved 204 children and found that age and reputational threat influence altruism, with age 8 being a key turning point. Study 2 focused on 130 nine-year-olds and showed that children with low social inhibition engage in more altruistic acts, regardless of reputational threat. Study 3, with 151 participants, analyzed the effects of group dynamics based on left-behind status. Non-left-behind children preferred out-group altruism, while left-behind children showed in-group preference under reputational threat, with no difference in its absence. Left-behind children were generally more altruistic. The findings highlight age 8 as crucial for reputation strategies and suggest that reputational threat, social inhibition, and group dynamics shape altruistic behavior. This research offers insights into the positive qualities of left-behind children, informing their development and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the analysis of survey data of left-behind children in rural areas of Guizhou Province, this paper studies the happiness of left-behind children and explores its interaction and impact with Internet usage behavior and social support. This study uses a sample size of 336 to study the relationship between Internet use, social support and subjective well-being of left-behind children through descriptive statistical analysis. The findings show that economic status has a statistically significant impact on financial well-being, and that the impact of life satisfaction on well-being increases as satisfaction levels increase. However, the frequency and duration of Internet use did not have a significant impact on subjective well-being. On the contrary, research found that content preferences have a positive impact on social support and subjective well-being of left-behind children. Information-based network use can bring more social support, thus improving the life satisfaction of left-behind children. Finally, family support had a significant predictive effect on left-behind children's subjective well-being. Future research can further explore the complex relationship between left-behind children's Internet use, social support and subjective well-being, especially comparative studies in different regions and different cultural backgrounds, to comprehensively understand the formation mechanism of left-behind children's well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narratives about children whose parents have migrated exhibit a common global trend, with these children and their families being widely pathologised, creating a stereotyped image of this group. Hence, it is timely and necessary to interrogate the category construction of left-behind children and the politics surrounding the knowledge produced. This article explores the global construction and widespread stigmatisation of left-behind children through the lens of a postcolonial critique and criticises the hegemonic notion of childhood promoted primarily by the Global North. It then explores the indigenous category of 'liushou children' for left-behind children in China – revealing its cultural expectations and Indigenous construction. Although the pathologisation of such children occurs in both global and indigenous dimensions, the understanding and causation of such pathologisation differs since diverse actors often present different understandings of this phenomenon, which refract different expectations, moral and value judgements, or political motivations. Therefore, this article calls for research on the lives of these children in the context of global economic and social structural shifts and how these are reshaped in local and national dimensions. In so doing, it provides insights into ongoing debates on the politics and ethics of knowledge production in childhood studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an empirical corpus-based study on the identity of left-behind children in China, employing the discourse-historical approach (DHA) framework. It is the first study to combine Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling and reported speech analysis to examine how China Daily constructs the identity of left-behind children and explore the cultural and rhetorical factors influencing this identity construction. By integrating computational techniques and qualitative analysis methods, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the intricate nature of identity construction for left-behind children. This interdisciplinary approach strengthens the theoretical foundations of media analysis and offers fresh insights into the dynamics of media discourse. The findings reveal that China Daily portrays left-behind children in a multifaceted and diverse manner, encompassing both positive and negative aspects, while placing emphasis on their vulnerability and passivity. Furthermore, the media employs communication techniques such as identification by sympathy, antithesis, and inaccuracy to establish emotional resonance and foster audience identification, ultimately influencing the audience's perspectives on these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the 2000, 2010, and 2020 National Population Census of China, this study uncovers evolving trends in the experiences of children in family structures reshaped by China's massive internal migration. We develop a new framework to examine family structures from the census data, which facilitates a detailed exploration of family splits as a result of migration. Our results show a significant surge in the proportion of children in migrant families and the trend of children on the move. While the number of left‐behind children far exceeded that of migrant children in 2000, the picture became the opposite in 2020, signifying an enhanced capacity and inclination for migrant parents to bring their children to migration destinations. This shift has also engendered a more heterogeneous population of children in migrant families. Notably, a subgroup warranting particular attention is that of “left‐behind child migrants,” those moving to proximate towns or cities without both parents. This emergence blurs the traditional urban–rural dichotomies and underscores the intricacies of a family split within the migrant population. Finally, we reflect on the significant role of educational aspirations and obstacles that influence these migratory patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parent-child separation poses a significant challenge for left-behind children (LBC). However, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the correlation between left-behind characteristics and the psychological symptoms of LBC. This study investigated psychological symptoms among LBC and explored associations between left-behind characteristics and those symptoms. Methods: Using stratified cluster sampling, 1,832 LBC aged 13–18 years from three cities in East China were selected for analysis. Participants' depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 and the General Anxiety Disorder 7, respectively. Chi-square tests were used to compare differences in detection rates of psychological symptoms among LBC in different groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to infer associations between left-behind characteristics and psychological symptoms. Results: Depression and anxiety symptoms were detected in 32.86% and 33.24%, respectively, of participating LBC. Univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences in detection rates of depression symptoms by sex, grade, and timing of parent-child separation. Statistically significant differences were observed in anxiety symptom rates by sex, grade, type of caregiver, and timing of mother-child separation. Multivariate analysis indicated a positive association between LBC's anxiety symptoms and mother-child separation that occurred during post-primary school, and type of caregiver (father only or mother only). Our findings confirm a positive association between left-behind characteristics and anxiety symptoms among LBC. Conclusion: The timing of mother-child separation and type of caregiver are potential risk factors for the development of anxiety symptoms in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Left‐behind children are a special group that needs urgent attention. Due to enduring separation from their parents, loneliness is considered the most common and prevalent developmental hurdle in the experiences of left‐behind children. This longitudinal cross‐lagged study examined the direction of the association between loneliness and both internalizing and externalizing symptoms, with considering gender and left‐behind status differences. Methods: A total of 1175 rural Chinese children (48.3% boys, 39.9% left‐behind children, Mage = 14.54 ± 1.18 at baseline) completed self‐reported loneliness, social anxiety, and mobile phone addiction at two‐time points with 6 months intervals. Descriptive statistics, cross‐lagged panel analysis, and multiple group analysis were estimated in the present study. Results: Loneliness exacerbated social anxiety and mobile phone addiction, and vice versa. In addition, gender and left‐behind status moderated these relationships, with boys more likely to be mobile phone addicted due to loneliness and girls more likely to be lonely due to mobile phone addiction. More importantly, left‐behind children with loneliness are more prone to social anxiety and mobile phone addiction, and vice versa, compared with non‐left‐behind children. Conclusions: The targeted interventions should be carried out for different genders and left‐behind statuses. Particularly for left‐behind children, neglecting to address both the symptoms of loneliness and both social anxiety and mobile phone addiction could significantly undermine the efficacy of intervention programs that solely target either one of these afflictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The involvement of left-behind children (LBC) in school bullying has raised concern in China. However, the susceptibility of LBC to engage in bullying is controversial, and comprehensive, representative studies covering the entire country are lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of school bullying among LBC. The Chinese National Knowledge Network, WanFang, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and EBSCO databases were searched for literature on being left-behind and bullying before April 2022. The effect size was measured by odds ratio (ORs), standard mean difference (SMD), and 95% confidence interval (CI). Random-effects or fixed-effects models were selected for meta-analysis, and subgroup analysis was used to explore the sources of heterogeneity. The meta-analysis included 25 studies of school bullying among LBC and non-LBC (NLBC). The prevalence of bullying perpetration and victimization among LBC were 18.58% (95% CI [3.72%, 33.44%], p <.05) and 40.62% (95% CI [25.47%, 55.78%], p <.05), respectively. Compared with NLBC, the risk of bullying perpetration and victimization among LBC increased 1.97 times (OR = 1.97, 95% CI [1.77, 2.20], p <.05) and 2.17 times (OR = 2.17, 95% CI [1.43, 3.29], p <.05), respectively. The severity of bullying experienced by LBC was higher than that of NLBC (SMD = 0.49, 95% CI [0.20, 0.79], p <.05). The prevalence and severity of school bullying were higher in LBC than in NLBC, and left-behindness was positively associated with school bullying. LBC are a crucial population to protect when developing bullying interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental migration has been found to affect left-behind children (LBC) more negatively than positively on their mental health, leaving them with higher levels of loneliness. Previous studies also found that individuals' resilience and emotional flexibility would shelter them from such adversities and foster adaptations. The present study conducted a three-wave longitudinal survey to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by LBC, as well as the longitudinal and reciprocal relationships among their loneliness, emotional flexibility and resilience. In total, 516 LBC (Mean age = 13.24 years, SD = 1.48 years, and 51.87% boys), living in Jiangsu Province of China, completed a survey, including the Chinese version of Children's Loneliness Scale (CLS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Emotional Flexibility Scale and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Cross-lagged analyses indicated that LBC's emotional flexibility and resilience were not the predictor of loneliness at the subsequent time point. LBC's loneliness was a negative and stable predictor of resilience at the subsequent time point, and emotional flexibility was a positive and stable predictor. Moreover, T1 resilience was a positive predictor of T2 emotional flexibility. Overall, this study suggested that interventions in promoting resilience should prioritize enhancing their emotional flexibility, which would help relieve their loneliness and protect their mental health. Highlights: Left-behind children's loneliness longitudinally and negatively predict their resilience, while resilience could not predict loneliness conversely. Left-behind children's emotional flexibility longitudinally and positively predict their resilience, and resilience at T1 positively predict emotional flexibility at T2. The impact of being left behind on children does not only cause feelings of loneliness, but also affects their resilience in facing future challenges. To protect long-term health and development, it is essential to enhance their emotional flexibility in order to reduce negative psychological effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, many children are living with their grandparents in rural hometowns whilst their parents migrate to work in cities. This qualitative study explores these left-behind children's perspectives of grandparental involvement in their lives through Photovoice. Thirty left-behind children (63% female, mean age = 12 years) in a major labour-sending rural area in southwest China joined five-session Photovoice groups, during which they took photos that best represented their lives with their grandparents. Visual data of eighty-four photos were analysed with thematic analysis. The most prominent themes were living environments and daily routines with grandparents, followed by grandparents' material support, time spent together, reciprocal support and perceived cultural traditions from the grandparents. Boys highlighted more material support from their grandparents in their shared photos, whereas girls focused more on their perceptions of cultural traditions being passed from their grandparents. This study illustrates the multifaceted nature of intergenerational solidarity and highlights the protective roles grandparents play in left-behind families in the labour migration context. The findings suggest the importance of using strength-based, culturally sensitive social work research (e.g. Photovoice techniques) and practices (e.g. community empowerment) to foster quality grandparental companionship and intergenerational bonding in left-behind families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the predictive impact of parental care deficit on left-behind children's incidence of depression and the influencing factors involved, our study employed the Parental Care Deficit Questionnaire, the Self-Doubt Scale, the Depressed Mood Scale, and the Friendship Quality Scale. A total of 593 left-behind children, with an average age of 13.8 years, were surveyed. The study found that parental care deficit significantly and positively predicted depression. Self-doubt played a partial mediating role in the relationship between parental care deficit and depression; friendship quality moderated the relationship between parental care deficit and self-doubt. When friendship quality was high, parental care deficit's effect on self-doubt was enhanced, leading to higher levels of depression. This study uncovers the internal mechanisms through which parental care deficit impacts depression in left-behind children. On one hand, parental care deprivation directly affects left-behind children's depression; on the other hand, it indirectly affects depression through self-doubt. Finally, friendship quality moderates the association between parental care deficit and self-doubt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Poly-victimization (PV) not only threatens physical and mental health but also causes a range of social problems. Left-behind children in rural areas are more likely to experience PV problems. However, there have been fewer studies on PV among rural children, and even fewer intervention studies. Objective The difference-in-differences method was employed to analyze the impact of intervention measures, based on the theory of planned behavior, on PV among left-behind children in rural areas. Methods The study subjects were left-behind children from six middle schools in two cities in southern China, who completed the baseline survey from 2020 to 2021. They were divided into a control group and an intervention group, each consisting of 228 cases, based on their schools. Before and after the intervention, the Self-made victimization-related knowledge, attitude, and practice questionnaire, Poly-victimization scale, and Middle school students’ coping style scale were used to evaluate the victimization-related KAP(knowledge, attitude, and practice), victimization occurrence, and coping styles of left-behind children, respectively. Stata 15.0 was used to establish a difference-in-differences regression model to analyze the impact of the intervention measures on poly-victimization and coping styles. Results Mixed Anova revealed that after the intervention, the KAP scores of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p

Abstract Background Self-esteem serves as a fundamental indicator for assessing the mental health of left-behind children in China. Previous studies have placed more emphasis on investigating its current situation, while overlooking its dynamic changes with social development. Methods This research project used the approach of cross-temporal meta-analysis to analyze 72 papers that used the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, ranging from 2006 to 2020(date of data collection) and covering 29,835 left-behind children, to delve into the diachronic changes and influencing factors of self-esteem of left-behind children over the years. Results The outcomes demonstrated that: (1) The self-esteem scores of Chinese left-behind children increased from 30.74 in 2006 to 32.7 in 2020. (2) The level of self-esteem among left-behind children was significantly correlated with social indicators (economic conditions and educational level) for the actual year, 3 years prior, or 5 years prior to the self-esteem data collection. Conclusions The level of self-esteem of left-behind children has been rising between 2006 and 2020. In addition, it is noteworthy that social development had a significant influence on predicting changes in the self-esteem of left-behind children.

Abstract Background Parent-child separation poses a significant challenge for left-behind children (LBC). However, limited empirical evidence exists regarding the correlation between left-behind characteristics and the psychological symptoms of LBC. This study investigated psychological symptoms among LBC and explored associations between left-behind characteristics and those symptoms. Methods Using stratified cluster sampling, 1,832 LBC aged 13–18 years from three cities in East China were selected for analysis. Participants’ depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 and the General Anxiety Disorder 7, respectively. Chi-square tests were used to compare differences in detection rates of psychological symptoms among LBC in different groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to infer associations between left-behind characteristics and psychological symptoms. Results Depression and anxiety symptoms were detected in 32.86% and 33.24%, respectively, of participating LBC. Univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences in detection rates of depression symptoms by sex, grade, and timing of parent-child separation. Statistically significant differences were observed in anxiety symptom rates by sex, grade, type of caregiver, and timing of mother-child separation. Multivariate analysis indicated a positive association between LBC’s anxiety symptoms and mother-child separation that occurred during post-primary school, and type of caregiver (father only or mother only). Our findings confirm a positive association between left-behind characteristics and anxiety symptoms among LBC. Conclusion The timing of mother-child separation and type of caregiver are potential risk factors for the development of anxiety symptoms in this population.

Abstract Background The situation of mental health and discipline behaviors of left-behind children’s caregivers were not optimistic in rural China. Caregivers’ depression might increase the risk of using violent discipline. However, the specific ways in which depressive symptoms impact violent discipline have rarely been explored in rural areas. This study aims to assess the prevalence of violent discipline among left-behind children under 6 years of age in rural China and explore the potential mechanisms of how caregivers’ depressive symptoms affect violent discipline. Methods We enrolled a total of 396 pairs of left-behind children and their caregivers in our study, which was conducted in 5 counties of Hebei, Henan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces in China. The depressive symptoms of caregivers were measured by using Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (ZSDS) and violent discipline was assessed by the Child Discipline Module of Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS). A self-designed questionnaire was utilized to measure caregiver’s parenting attitude. Based on the cross-sectional data, controlling for potential confounders, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the direct and indirect effects of the mediation models by applying the weighted least squares with mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) estimate. Results The prevalence of violent discipline, psychological aggression, and physical punishment was 72.7%, 59.3%, and 60.4% respectively of left-behind children under 6 years of age. According to the results of SEM, parenting attitude acted as a suppressor, suppressing the association between caregivers’ depressive symptoms and physical punishment/psychological aggression/violent discipline. The caregivers’ depressive symptoms positively influenced all the outcome variables by affecting parenting attitudes (p = 0.002, p = 0.013, p = 0.002). Conclusions The presence of depressive symptoms in caregivers increases the use of violent discipline through negative parenting attitudes. The mental health status of primary caregivers of left-behind children in rural China needed emphasis and improvement.

We aimed to explore and analyse the dietary intake patterns of 3‐6 year‐old children left behind by one or both parents and to assess their associations with body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of childhood anaemia in rural Anhui, eastern China. We used random cluster sampling to recruit rural children aged 3–6 years in two rural areas in Anhui province. Sociodemographic information and dietary intake were collected by self‐reported questionnaires. Height, weight and prevalence of anaemia were measured by trained nurses blinded to parental migration status. Factor analysis was applied to determine that major dietary patterns, binary logistic regression and generalised linear regression were used to explore the associations between anaemia and BMI Z‐score with dietary patterns. Of 1720 children aged 3–6 years, 236 were left by both parents and 388 were left by a single parent. The prevalence of stunting and underweight among left‐behind children with migration of both parents (BLBC) was significantly higher than that of non‐left‐behind children (NLBC). Three dietary patterns—"grain–vegetable," "meat–egg" and "fast food–sweet"—were identified in our study, and the total variance explained was 46.9%. The meat–egg dietary pattern was associated with a decreased risk of anaemia after adjustment for confounding factors in the left‐behind children with migration of both parents (BLBC), left‐behind children with single parent migration (SLBC) and non‐left‐behind children (NLBC) groups. After adjusting for confounding factors, the fast food–sweet dietary pattern was found to be associated with an increased risk of anaemia (OR [95% CI]: Q4: 2.21 [1.14, 4.57], p = 0.034). In addition, children with obesity had a lower intake of vegetables and fruits (β = −0.08, 95% CI: −0.13, −0.02) compared with children with a normal weight. In conclusion, there are correlations between different types of parental migration and children's nutritional status in rural Anhui. The meat–egg dietary pattern may have a preventive effect on anaemia in comparison with other dietary patterns, irrespective of whether children are left behind or not. Children with overweight and obesity had a higher intake of pork and red meat and snacks compared with children with normal BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing a probability sample of 1,985 middle school students from Guizhou Province, China, this study aims to explore the association between different patterns of parental migration and fear of crime among adolescents in rural China. Nested OLS regression analyses revealed that compared to adolescents who live with both parents, adolescents experiencing dual-parent migration reported a heightened fear of crime. However, adolescents with only their mother or father migrating did not exhibit any difference in fear of crime compared to those who lived with their parents. Being female, younger, having experienced crime victimization, perceiving greater family economic pressure, and perceiving greater neighborhood disorder and weaker collective efficacy also elevated crime fear. Findings from this study highlight the acute vulnerability of adolescents experiencing dual-parent migration and urge more targeted social support for this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Left-behind children" are a pronounced social issue in China. Colossal attention has been paid to left-behind children in Chinese rural areas. However, as its economy advanced, the issue also surfaced in urban areas. Compared with their rural counterparts, urban left-behind children face more complicated psychological challenges and social pressures, which have the potential to negatively affect their physical and mental growth as well as their future social integration. This article focuses on delineating the special characteristics of urban left-behind children and looking into the issues confronting them and the factors contributing to their predicament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Numerous studies within the school and academic contexts have underscored the profound impact of psychometric variables such as academic self-efficacy, self-esteem, and loneliness on academic achievement among children. Although physical activities and dance practices are known to bolster academic self-efficacy and enhance academic outcomes, the effect of Artistic Sports Activities on these psychological determinants among left-behind children (LBC) in rural schools remains underexplored. Method: This study was conducted from September 2020 to January 2022 among 405 LBCs aged 9 to 13 from six randomly selected primary schools in Hunan Province, China. Schools were chosen in collaboration with the Hunan Women and Children's Federation, ensuring informed consent through stakeholder informational sessions. The study employed rigorous sampling and data analysis methods, including the Shapiro--Wilk test for normal distribution and Cronbach's alpha for reliability, alongside Pearson correlation, independent and paired t-tests, and multiple linear regression analyses to investigate the effects of Artistic Sports Activities on psychometric variables and academic performance among LBCs. Data collection involved standardized questionnaires assessing academic self-efficacy, self-esteem, and loneliness before and after intervention. Results: Findings indicate that Artistic Sports Activities significantly improved academic self-efficacy and self-esteem and reduced loneliness, leading to enhanced academic performance. Notably, loneliness was identified as mediating the relationship between academic self-efficacy and self-esteem among LBCs. Discussion: The findings highlight the critical role of integrating Artistic Sports Activities in educational frameworks to bolster psychological and academic outcomes for LBCs. The study reveals the intricate interplay between loneliness, self-esteem, and academic self-efficacy, underscoring the necessity for targeted educational interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migrant workers from rural China often leave their children at home to be raised by grandparents or other family members. This study explored the relationship between parents' educational expectations, parental involvement, and the academic performance of left-behind children in China. A total of 19,487 student samples were obtained from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS), and 5078 of these met the criteria for being considered as 'left behind' children. Results indicated: (1) a significant positive correlation between parents' educational expectations and left-behind children's academic achievement; (2) parental education involvement plays a partial mediating role between parents' educational expectations and left-behind children's academic performance; (3) a significant negative correlation between parental intellectual involvement and educational expectations of left-behind children; (4) parental management involvement was not significantly correlated with parents' educational expectations and left-behind children's academic performance; and (5) a significant positive correlation between parental emotional involvement and educational expectations of left-behind children. The findings highlight the important role of parental educational expectations and have implications for the improvement of educational outcomes in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate how sociometric relationships are configured within the primary and secondary school group that have immigrant parents. The analysis of the specialized literature was carried out based on clear selection criteria, both chronologically and of the variables. Statistical analyses, including correlations and frequency calculations, were conducted for the research variables. The study also clarifies certain procedural aspects in the application of sociometric tests. Our study included four school groups, two with 4th-grade students and two with pre-adolescent high school students. Parental emigration is a phenomenon that can have significant negative effects on the school integration of children who are left behind. They may experience emotional stress and anxiety that can affect their school performance. Some may also face financial difficulties, resulting in material shortages necessary to participate in school activities. The overload of tasks and household responsibilities can lead to their stigmatization in school groups. Our study examined three dimensions of school integration: partnership in work activities, participation in leisure time activities, and leadership within the group. The results of the research indicate a poor sociometric positioning for the children of emigrants, who are often rejected by the group for work activities, ignored in terms of spending free time, and overlooked for leadership roles within the group. Even if there are situations where some of them gain followers, they are also among the students rejected by the group. Most of them are ignored or rejected by the more socially prominent students in the class, indicating the difficulties of school integration faced by children after parental emigration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social anxiety is a common psychological problem among left-behind children (LBC) and has been a popular issue in recent years. Children with higher levels of social anxiety have more emotional and behavioral problems and are prone to negative life events. Although several studies have explored the differences in social anxiety between LBC and non-left-behind children (N-LBC), the findings have not been consistent. In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis method was used, with 411 papers retrieved on October 01, 2023, from Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Chinese databases (CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang) (PROSPERO registry number: CRD42023472463). Twenty-one studies met the research criteria and included 11,254 LBC and 13,096 N-LBC. LBC scored significantly higher for social anxiety ([WMD (95% CI): 0.35 [0.23, 0.48], p < 0.001]) and social avoidance and distress ([WMD (95% CI): 0.35 [0.23, 0.48], p < 0.001]). Subgroup analyses showed significant differences in effect sizes for the overall proportion of children left behind (p = 0.02). In addition, different types of parental migration may influence the social anxiety of LBC, double-parent migration was associated higher social anxiety than father migration (p < 0.001). Future research should focus on treatments to decrease social anxiety of left-behind children. These findings suggest that due to the long-term absence of parental migration, LBC are more vulnerable to negative emotional experiences and behaviours such as anxiety, distress, and avoidance during social interaction, especially for those with both parents absent from the home. Future research should focus on treatments to reduce social anxiety in LBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing public concern in China about the large number of children whose parents have left them behind because of massive rural-to-urban labor migration over the past few decades. It is estimated that there were 61 million left-behind children in China in 2018. Because of the prevalence of instant communication applications, such as WeChat, left-behind children in China can maintain family relationships with their migrant parents through social media. This study examines how left-behind children use WeChat to sustain long-distance family relationships. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the research involved online interviews with ten children and ten online workshops with thirty-one child participants. The data collected from the workshops and interviews suggest that a gap still exists between children's communication needs and the technological affordances of social media. Mediated communications via WeChat are not always child-friendly and can have implications for the success or failure of parent-child communication in Chinese separated families. Despite these challenges, children demonstrate creativity in navigating the uncertainties of long-distance communication and relationships. However, this process is strewn with difficulties that the adult family members in the participant families have overlooked. Prior State of Knowledge: Studies of multi-local families have traditionally concentrated on migrant parents; far less research has examined the perspectives of children. In particular, very little research has focused on the perspectives via social media of children in families across large distances. Novel Contributions: This study identifies three important aspects that matter to children's experiences of long-distance familyhood. They are children's media literacy, difficulties, and creativity. The research design advocates for child-centered approaches and caters to children's attention spans, communication skills, and literacy levels. Practical Implications: This study demonstrates that children's difficulties in online communication have been overlooked. By considering children's unique communication needs, parents, carers, and platform designers can work together to create more child-friendly communication environments and facilitate children's digital engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing concerns over family separations draw renewed attention to temporary work migration and the factors shaping it. We leverage the randomized timing in a Chinese re-housing initiative, the Poverty Alleviation Resettlement (PAR) program, to shed light on the impact of rural living conditions on temporary labor migration. Applying a difference-in-differences framework to three waves of panel data (2016, 2017, 2019), we estimate impacts of re-housing on labor out-migration. Results reveal that improved housing decreased the propensity to send out migrant workers, particularly for young parents and households with dependents, with important implications for the rural left-behind. • China's Poverty Alleviation Resettlement is used in a quasi-experimental design. • Improved rural housing decreases the propensity to send out migrant workers. • Young parents and households with dependents drive the impact. • Migration rates in households with children drop by 10-20pp. • Improving rural living conditions may mitigate issue of "left-behind" children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal was to examine (a) how parental involvement affects mental health in left‐behind children (LBC), and (b) how the interaction effect of parental involvement and grandparent involvement affects mental health in LBC. Background: Given the rapid industrialization and urbanization in China, a substantial number of rural laborers have migrated to cities to earn a living. However, it is difficult for many children to stay with their parents and they have to be left behind. Methods: The sample consisted of 309 left‐behind children who had grandparents to care for them. The participants completed the Inventory of Father Involvement, Inventory of Mother Involvement, Inventory of Closest Grandparent Involvement, Needs Satisfaction Questionnaire, and Emotional Experience of Well‐being Questionnaire. Results: Needs satisfaction mediated the effect of father involvement on emotional well‐being (EWB) and the effect of mother involvement on EWB in LBC. The closest grandparent involvement of LBC moderated the effect of mother involvement on needs satisfaction, but it did not moderate the effect of father involvement on needs satisfaction. The closest grandparent involvement of LBC moderated the indirect effect of mother involvement on EWB through needs satisfaction. Conclusions: Needs satisfaction is an essential mediator between parental involvement and EWB. Grandparental involvement of LBC plays a complementary role in mother involvement. Their interaction effect facilitates the fulfilment of needs, and improves their EWB in LBC. Implications: The mental health of LBC can be improved by helping their mothers and grandparents to meet various needs of LBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundParent–child separation raises concerns for the well-being of 69 million left-behind children (LBC) in China. However, the effects of parental migration status, timing of migration, and migration duration on the health of children remain unclear. This study aims to explore the association between different parent–child separation experience and a range of health outcomes in rural Chinese children.MethodA sample of 2,355 students, grades 5 to 8, from two provinces in China were recruited. Standardized self-report instruments collected data on demographics, separation status, and children’s health conditions.ResultsFull data were available for 274 children with both parents currently migrating (BLBC), 638 children with one parent currently migrating (SLBC), 658 children with parents previously migrated (PLBC) and 785 children with non-migrating parents (NLBC). Regression model results showed that, compared to the NLBC group, BLBC and PLBC exhibited lower self-rated health (p

Abstract Background Parent‒child communication in migrant families is essential to family bonds and the mental health of left-behind children (LBC). Little is known about the different patterns of communication between migrant parents and LBC and associated communication quality and mental health outcomes. Methods A sample of 2,183 Chinese children (mean age = 12.95 ± 1.29 years) from Anhui province, including LBC whose parents had both migrated (n = 1,025) and children whose parents had never migrated (never-LBC, n = 1,158), was analyzed. With the LBC sample, latent class analysis was applied to identify the patterns of parent‒child communication. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the associations between the sociodemographic variables and class membership of LBC. Analysis of covariance and chi-square tests were used to compare communication quality and mental health outcome differences among the classes of LBC and between each of the classes and never-LBC. Results Five latent classes of communication formed through different media or channels between migrant parents and their LBC were identified. Higher household economic status (OR = 2.81, p

Millions of children live apart from their parents who migrate for work. This dynamic raises questions about parental migration's impact on children's schooling. This paper investigated how Chinese junior high school students’ educational performance was shaped by the specific patterns of parental migration: whether it was only the mother, only the father, or both who migrate. The study analyzed data from 4204 students through a nationally representative panel survey, comparing children who experienced parental migration between two survey waves and those who did not. Difference-in-differences models were paired with propensity score weighting to estimate the immediate effects of parental migration. Results indicated that children's educational performance was heterogeneously affected by different arrangements of parental migration. Children's academic performance declined when mothers migrated alone, a pattern not mirrored when only fathers or both parents migrated. The findings indicate that the adverse effects of parental absence outweigh the financial benefits from migration, particularly in the scenario of mother-only migration.

Due to the long-term separation from their parents, the physical and mental health development of left-behind children is not optimal. Among many psychological problems, loneliness is the most significant. We searched all publicly published literature related to the loneliness of left-behind children from its establishment to September 30, 2022 in Chinese and English databases. Forest plots and funnel plots were drawn to examine the heterogeneity and publication bias of the included studies, and the loneliness status of left-behind children was analyzed by meta-analysis. A total of 23 studies with 6,678 left-behind children were included in the analysis. The meta results showed that the loneliness level of left-behind children was higher than that of non-left-behind children. Subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant difference in total effect size among different grades. However, different guardian types could affect the loneliness level of left-behind children, for example, single-parent monitoring was associated with lower loneliness than other relative monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facing long-term separation from their parents, left-behind children are at risk of the co-occurrence of internalizing and externalizing problems. Although previous research has gained substantial information examining the relationship between anxiety, depression, and internet addiction at the aggregate level of variables, little is known about the heterogeneity and interactions between these components at the symptom level with a large-scale purposive sample. Adopting the network approach, two network pathways, depression and anxiety, and associations between these variables and internet addiction were constructed. Our sample included 5367 left-behind children (M age = 13.57; SD age = 1.37; 50.07% females). Relevant bridging, central symptoms, and network stability were identified. Two relatively stable networks were obtained. For the network of anxiety and depression, sleep problems and tachycardia were vital bridging symptoms. Central symptoms, including tachycardia, restlessness, fatigue, and emptiness, were symptoms of depression. For the network of symptoms of anxiety, depression, and internet addiction, the bridging symptoms remained the same, and the central symptoms included tachycardia, restlessness, loss of control, and emptiness. By identifying relevant bridging and central symptoms, those with higher levels of these symptoms could be regarded as intervention targets, providing a reference for the current issue of valuing diagnosis over prevention in left-behind children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Left-behind children (LBC; being left behind by one parent or both parents who migrated to a different location over six months) suffered higher peer victimization than did non-left-behind children. However, it is unclear whether intrapersonal (i.e. self-esteem) and environmental factors (i.e. perceived social support) would moderate the effect of LBC status on peer victimization. A total of 1,064 primary school students from rural China participated in this study. They provided demographic information and completed self-report measures on self-esteem, perceived social support, and peer victimization. After controlling for age and gender, multiple regression analysis revealed that LBC experienced higher peer victimization than their non-left-behind counterparts. Self-esteem and perceived social support were negatively associated with peer victimization. Self-esteem moderated the negative impact of being left behind on peer victimization, but perceived social support did not. Furthermore, the moderated moderation model revealed that the buffering role of self-esteem in the relation between being left behind and peer victimization only emerged among children with low perceived social support. These findings suggested that being left behind would increase the risk of peer victimization, but self-esteem could be a protective factor, especially for children with low social support. Intervention programs should pay more attention to LBC in rural China, improve their self-esteem and social support, thus reducing the likelihood of suffering peer victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the human capital consequences of rural-to-urban migration on left-behind children have been well-documented in developing countries, there is limited evidence regarding the social spillovers of parental migration on households without parent-child separation. This study investigates the effects of migration-induced left-behind children on household human capital investments in their non-left-behind peers. Leveraging the random student-class assignment within middle schools in rural China, we find that the share of left-behind children in class has significant negative impacts on household financial and time investments in non-left-behind classmates, especially out-of-school education expenditure. We also find heterogeneous effects demonstrating that the adverse spillovers are relatively larger among students who are boys, in grade nine, and from low socioeconomic status families. Further, our results suggest that exposure to left-behind classmates adversely affects non-left-behind students' perceived quality of school life, cognitive and noncognitive skills, and their parents' beliefs about returns of human capital investments. We interpret these findings as candidate mechanisms underlying the associations between parental absence and household investments in non-left-behind children. Our study sheds new light on the 'costs' of rural-to-urban migration in sending areas, which include not only welfare loss to families being left behind but negative spillover effects on non-left-behind households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parent‒child communication in migrant families is essential to family bonds and the mental health of left-behind children (LBC). Little is known about the different patterns of communication between migrant parents and LBC and associated communication quality and mental health outcomes. Methods: A sample of 2,183 Chinese children (mean age = 12.95 ± 1.29 years) from Anhui province, including LBC whose parents had both migrated (n = 1,025) and children whose parents had never migrated (never-LBC, n = 1,158), was analyzed. With the LBC sample, latent class analysis was applied to identify the patterns of parent‒child communication. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the associations between the sociodemographic variables and class membership of LBC. Analysis of covariance and chi-square tests were used to compare communication quality and mental health outcome differences among the classes of LBC and between each of the classes and never-LBC. Results: Five latent classes of communication formed through different media or channels between migrant parents and their LBC were identified. Higher household economic status (OR = 2.81, p < 0.05) was associated with adequate communication. LBC in Class 1, defined by frequent technologically-mediated and face-to-face communication, had a significantly higher quality of communication with their migrant parents (F = 8.92, p < 0.001) and better mental health than those in other latent classes; these children did not have significantly worse mental health outcomes compared to never -LBC. Conclusions: Facilitating multichannel parent‒child communication is a practical way of reducing mental health inequities between LBC and their peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over a three-wave tracking test, this study identified the development trajectory of depression in Chinese left-behind children (LBC) through the comparison with non-left-behind children (NLBC). Considering the importance of kinship in adolescents' psychological development, this study further investigated the specific effects of three kinships' support (parental support, grandparents' support, relatives' support) on the development of LBC depression. Overall, 286 LBC (Mage=12.93 ± 0.94 years; boys = 48.6%) and 129 NLBC (Mage=12.99 ± 0.90 years; boys = 44.2%) were tested three times on their depression from grades five through eight. The unconditional latent growth model revealed there is a linear increase over time in LBC's depression, whereas no linear change was found in NLBC's depression. Besides, the conditional latent growth model revealed that parental support can significantly reduce the initial level of LBC's depression, but the effect on the pace of change of LBC's depression development was not significant. However, neither grandparents' support nor relatives' support have a significant effect on the initial level and pace of change of LBC's depression development. The results provided a more accurate developmental picture of Chinese LBC's depression in the context of parental migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The early development of left‐behind children requires great concern and improvement. Yet, current interventions for left‐behind children are mainly focussed on children older than 3. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a home visiting programme on family responsive care and early development of rural left‐behind children and examine whether family responsive care mediates the effects of intervention on child development. Methods: A quasi‐experimental study design was utilized in this study. A stratified clustered sampling was employed to choose villages in programme towns into intervention group. A control village was matched with every intervention village. All of the left‐behind children and their caregivers meeting the inclusion criteria in the chosen villages were enrolled in the survey. The outcomes included child development, caregiver's early stimulation, parent–child communication, and learning materials. Baseline assessments were conducted in 2018, and endline assessments were conducted in 2020. Results: In the endline survey, we enrolled 608 children with 258 in the intervention group and 350 in the control group. Left‐behind children in the intervention group were less likely to have development delay compared with the control group (odds ratio [OR] = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.36, 0.96). Migrant parents of children in the intervention group showed higher proportion of expressing emotional support to their children when communicating (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.72). Children who received home visits more than once per 2 months had lower level of suspected development delay than children in the control group (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.68). Caregiver's early stimulation and migrant parents' emotional support to left‐behind children mediated the intervention dose and left‐behind children's development. Conclusion: Caregiver's early stimulation mediates the intervention and child's development. The findings suggest a promising future for scaling similar early childhood development interventions for left‐behind children in rural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to examine attentional bias (AB) for sad and social rejection words in Chinese left‐behind children (LBC) with depression. Method: We investigated both stimulus specificity and components of AB in different groups using a cross‐sectional design. Data were drawn from a school assessment of depression and anxiety, from which we selected LBC with depression (n = 40), LBC without depression (n = 33), a control group with depression (n = 31), and a control group without depression (n = 37). AB was measured with a dot‐probe task covering two stimulus types (sad and rejection). Results: The analysis of AB scores revealed a significant three‐way interaction (LBC × depression × word type), F(1, 137) = 4.00, p = 0.047, η2 = 0.028, with depressed non‐LBC exhibiting a significant depression × word type interaction, F(1, 66) = 4.67, p = 0.034, η2 = 0.066, while the depression × word type interaction was not significant in LBC, F(1, 71) = 0.18, p = 0.675, η2 = 0.002. Depressed children living with their parents showed AB towards sad words but not rejection words, while depressed LBC showed greater AB towards both rejection and sad words. Conclusions: The findings provide evidence that an AB towards sad information is critically involved in the depressed LBC. Compared with non‐LBC depressed individuals, an AB for rejection may be involved as a risk factor in the LBC. It sheds light on the effective intervention programmes for LBC's depression and have important practical significance for reducing depression and improving the mental health of LBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore the effect of self-esteem on depression of left-behind children in rural areas, and to investi gate the mediating effect of social anxiety and loneliness. Methods A total of 779 rural left-behind children (422 boys and 357 girls) in northern Jiangsu were selected by cluster random sampling. A questionnaire survey was conducted with the use of self-esteem scale, social anxiety scale for children, children's loneliness scale and center for epidemiologic studies de- pression scale. The multiple mediating effects were analyzed by structural equation model test. Results The self-esteem of left-behind children in rural areas was negatively correlated with social anxiety, loneliness, and depression (r=-0.38, -0.27, and -0.43, P < 0.001), while social anxiety was positively correlated with loneliness and depression of left-behind children (r=0.25 and 0.50, P < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between loneliness and depression of left-behind children (r= 0.28, P < 0.001). Multiple mediating effect model analysis showed that social anxiety and loneliness could independently me- diate the relationship between self-esteem and depression of left-behind children in rural areas, and the mediating effect values were -0.079 (95%CI: -0.131 to -0.017) and -0.165 (95%CI: -0.253 to -0.110), respectively. It also played a chain mediating role through the intermediary chain of "social anxiety-loneliness", and the mediating effect value was -0.124 (95% CI: -0.177 to -0.092). Conclusion The self-esteem of rural left-behind children can significantly reduce the level of social anxiety and loneliness, thus reducing the risk of depression of left-behind children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we employed the chain mediation model to examine the associations between teacher-student relationships, resilience, learning engagement, and subjective happiness among left-behind children (LBC). A sample of 431 LBC from southwestern China was assessed at three different time points at six-month intervals. The Subjective Happiness Scale, Teacher-Student Relationship Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Learning Engagement Questionnaire were utilised for measurement purposes. The findings revealed that the subjective happiness of LBC was influenced by their teacher-student relationships through the separate pathways of resilience and learning engagement. Moreover, the teacher-student relationship could predict LBC's subjective happiness either via a pathway from resilience to learning engagement or through a pathway from learning engagement to resilience. This study underscores the crucial role of teachers in facilitating positive development among LBC and highlights implications for policymakers to prioritise quality training for teachers in rural primary schools. By enhancing childhood teachers' understanding of key factors influencing children's positive development, appropriate strategies can be implemented effectively to support LBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND In Vietnam, research on the impact of parental migration on left-behind children (LBC) has discussed various dimensions of the subject such as subjective well-being, emotional states, social skills, self-esteem and nutrition of LBC. However, there are still gaps in studies on loneliness among LBC in Vietnam. The study aims to explore the status of loneliness in LBC, including associated protective and risk factors, to make suggestions on preventive measures against LBC's loneliness. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE The conveniently selected sample includes 439 LBC in 4 Vietnamese provinces: Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, Thai Binh and Nghe An. The mean age is 12.73 (SD = 1.68). Female children account for 47.80%. The Children's Loneliness Scale was employed in the study. RESULTS The total loneliness score of LBC is 28.62 (SD = 9.40), 95% CI: 27.75-29.48. Perceived social support from friends, caregivers and resilience factors of affect control (RAC), family support (RFS) and help-seeking (RHS) are protective factors for loneliness of LBC, with regression coefficient of -.27, -.18, -.11, -.11 and -.09 respectively. CONCLUSIONS Perceived social support from friends, care-giving attachment and resilience factors of RAC, RFS, and RHS are protective factors for LBC against loneliness. Parents, teachers and guardians are encouraged to have a close connection with LBC, provide adequate care giving; and create a supportive environment for LBC in pursuing healthy peer relationships and train/improve children's skills to strengthen their resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]