scholarly journals Community-Based Intervention to Improve the Well-Being of Children Left Behind by Migrant Parents in Rural China

Author(s):  
Minmin Jiang ◽  
Lu Li ◽  
Wei Xing Zhu ◽  
Therese Hesketh

In rural China around 60 million left-behind children (LBC) experience prolonged separation from migrant worker parents. They are vulnerable to a range of psychosocial problems. The aim of this study was to determine whether a community-based intervention consisting of Children’s Centres can improve psychosocial well-being and school performance of these children. The intervention was carried out in 20 villages, for children aged 7 to 15 years, irrespective of left-behind status. Nine hundred and twenty children, 438 LBC and 256 children living with parents (RC) attended the Centres. At follow-up after one year, there were improvements compared to baseline in total difficulties (measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) in children left behind by both parents (p = 0.009), children left behind by one parent (p = 0.008) and RC (p = 0.05). Postintervention school performance significantly improved in both categories of LBC (p < 0.001), but not RC (p = 0.07); social support score increased in both categories of LBC (p < 0.001) and RC (p = 0.01). Findings from interviews with key stakeholders were overwhelmingly positive about the impacts. With strong local leadership and community motivation, a low-cost intervention can improve children’s psychosocial well-being in these settings. Allowing communities to adapt the model to their own situation fosters local ownership, commitment, with benefits for children, parents, carers, and communities.

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 515-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojin Chen ◽  
Ningxin Liang ◽  
Stephen F. Ostertag

Objectives: Examine the relationship between parental rural-to-urban migration, caretaking arrangement, and left-behind children’s self-reported victimization in rural China. The direct effect of parental migration on children’s victimization as well as the indirect effect through positive caretaking and children’s delinquent/problem behavior involvement is explored. Methods: The study uses data from the Parental Migration and Children’s Well-being Survey, which collected information on parental migration and children’s experience of victimization from a probability sample of 800 middle school students in southern China. Structural equation modeling is used to evaluate hypothesized models by simultaneously assessing direct and indirect effects. Results: Compared with children living with both parents in rural China, children left behind by their fathers have an elevated level of victimization. In addition, the chronic absence of fathers leads to a higher level of delinquent and problem behavior among left-behind children, which in turn leads to further victimization. Conclusion: Left-behind children living with mothers, grandparents, or other relatives are an “at-risk” population for victimization. Local programs such as parenting lessons for left-behind parents and grandparents are needed. In addition, the importance of father’s chronic absence on left-behind children’s healthy physical and mental development needs to be further examined.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S880-S880
Author(s):  
Zhiyong Lin

Abstract As the processes of urbanization and globalization have intensified across the world, a burgeoning literature has documented the impact of emigration on the health of family members left behind in emigrant communities. Although the association between children’s migration and parental well-being is well documented, few have examined the health implications of children’s migration in the milieu of multiple children and further differentiated between children’s short-term and long-term migration. Therefore, I argue that it is not the geographic locality of a single child but the composition of all children’s location that matters. I further suggest that the impact of children’s migration on parental wellbeing is conditioned on the duration of children’s migration. Using a six waves longitudinal data (2001-2015) collected in rural China, this paper compares mental health (measured as depressive symptoms) trajectories of old adults (aged 60 and older) across different compositions of local and migrant children over a 14-year span. Results from growth curve models show that parents having more migrant children relative to local children experience a more rapid increase in depressive symptoms. In addition, older adults who have their most children migrate away for three or more waves of data have experienced the steepest rate of increase in depressive symptoms. These findings provide new evidence to support the life course processes of mental health disparities among older adults from the perspective of intergenerational proximity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Racaite ◽  
G Surkiene ◽  
M Jakubauskiene ◽  
R Sketerskiene ◽  
L Wulkau

Abstract Background Children left behind (CLB) are those, who have been left behind at their original residence while one or both parents migrate to other places for work. The aim of this study was to systematically review studies where the physical health consequences for CLB were analysed. Methods We searched the Web of Science, PubMed, Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases. We included studies reporting physical health outcomes of children affected by parent migration. Results We selected 35 studies from a total of 2191. The results reveal that, overall, the absence of one or both parents is related to poorer child health - the nutrition of CLB is not healthy or balanced and is insufficient, leading to higher rates of anaemia and poor growth indicators of affected children. Boys left by parents are smaller than boys who were never left behind. CLB face lower underweight or stunted growth risks due to the additional income from remittances which ensures sufficient food for the household, this can also lead, however, to overweight and obesity. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, alcohol, food preferences, lower physical activity and higher risk of injuries were more prevalent among CLB. CLB were more likely not to have completed the recommended vaccination programme than those living with their parents. Opinions vary on how emigration of parents affects children’s well-being and quality of life. CLB had higher probabilities of higher well-being than children living in non-migrant households. However, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of CLB scored significantly lower than HRQoL of non-left-behind children. Conclusions The migration of parents has negative impacts on the child’s physical health, however it can also have positive impacts on children’s well-being when basic needs for sufficient nutrition are not satisfied in the home countries. Public health interventions should be taken to ensure the health of the CLB population. Key messages This is the first systematic review on the physical health of CLB. The well-being of CLB is poorer and they are at risk of health problems, such as insufficient and/or unbalanced diet, unhealthy behaviours and incomplete vaccination status.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Biracyaza ◽  
Samuel Habimana

Abstract Background Psychological well-being (PWB) refers to inter- and intra-individual levels of positive functioning that include one’s relatedness with others and self-referent attitudes that include one’s sense of mastery and personal growth. PWB consists of hedonism and eudaimonia building on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sociotherapy is a community-based health intervention that contributes to the promotion of PWB worldwide. Starting from an analysis of trauma transmitted from the perpetrators and survivors of the Rwandan genocide to their descendants, this article is aimed at exploring the contribution of therapeutic sessions to PWB among youth. Method A qualitative study design based on shared testimonies was carried out. Field reports from the sociotherapists, written texts, and testimonies of changes presented in the conviviality meetings were analyzed using transactional analysis. We included 24 reflexive texts upon completion of 8 months of the therapeutic program. Results Results indicated that before sociotherapy sessions, youth born to genocide survivors and perpetrators had psychosocial distress, including low self-esteem, hopelessness, anxiety, stigma, thoughts of revenge, shame, depression, and antisocial behaviors. Sociotherapy significantly contributed to the reduction of these psychosocial problems. Participating youth reported feeling safe, trusted, respected, and healthier than before the sociotherapy. This intervention created inner healing, social cohesion, alleviated their sufferings of trauma, restored their families and contributed to community resilience. Results revealed that youth developed PWB, helping them to what appeared to be psychosocial problems as being potentially healthy, enhancing self-acceptance, and respecting humanity. Youth also became the vector for the reconciliation and reconstruction of their humanity. Conclusion Sociotherapy is a community health intervention that has an effective outcome on the personal well-being of of youth. This therapy impacted the individual, social, and familial resilience of youth who developed their capacity to regain and maintain health. The intervention restored their PWB, characterized by increased positive functioning specifically in the areas of autonomy, ecological mastery, individual growth, purpose in life, good relationships with others, and improved self-esteem.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-56
Author(s):  
Nur Kholis

Abstract: The purpose of the study, first; to organize the parenting pattern of children left behind by migrants by their parents in the village of Tanggesurus Besuki District, Tulungagung regency. Second, analyze the perception of children about school in Tanggoko Desa Besuki District Tulungagung regency. The research method used qualitative type with case study approach. Place of research in Tanggesurus Village Besuki District Tulungagung Regency. The object is the pattern of care of migrant child laborers and their perceptions of the school. The subjects are children whose parents are migrant workers (migrant mothers, migrant fathers, and migrant mothers). The data were collected through in-depth interview technique, documentation and observation. To measure the validity of the data is used inspection techniques; credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Data analysis is done in stages and interrelated between data reduction, data presentation, conclusion and verification. The findings found; First, the pattern of care of the children of migrant workers is divided into three patterns, namely; mothering, parenting, and parenting by grandparents and / or other extended families. Second, the perception of children left behind by their parents is quite diverse. For them the school is important if the father is a migrant, and vice versa if his mother is a school migrant for him is not important. There is a difference in perception between boys and boys, for boys the school does not guarantee the future, whereas for school girls it is perceived as important and ensures the future. Such a view fits with the use of his spare time, most of his spare time (other than school) they spend with his peers and play around in the coffee shop. The condition of the house, the social environment of the community, and peers affect the orientation of being a migrant worker as well. According to them the factors that shape perceptions, attitudes and behavior are peers and the social environment of local communities.   Abstract: The purpose of the study, first; to organize the parenting pattern of children left behind by migrants by their parents in the village of Tanggesurus Besuki District, Tulungagung regency. Second, analyze the perception of children about school in Tanggoko Desa Besuki District Tulungagung regency. The research method used qualitative type with case study approach. Place of research in Tanggesurus Village Besuki District Tulungagung Regency. The object is the pattern of care of migrant child laborers and their perceptions of the school. The subjects are children whose parents are migrant workers (migrant mothers, migrant fathers, and migrant mothers). The data were collected through in-depth interview technique, documentation and observation. To measure the validity of the data is used inspection techniques; credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. Data analysis is done in stages and interrelated between data reduction, data presentation, conclusion and verification. The findings found; First, the pattern of care of the children of migrant workers is divided into three patterns, namely; mothering, parenting, and parenting by grandparents and / or other extended families. Second, the perception of children left behind by their parents is quite diverse. For them the school is important if the father is a migrant, and vice versa if his mother is a school migrant for him is not important. There is a difference in perception between boys and boys, for boys the school does not guarantee the future, whereas for school girls it is perceived as important and ensures the future. Such a view fits with the use of his spare time, most of his spare time (other than school) they spend with his peers and play around in the coffee shop. The condition of the house, the social environment of the community, and peers affect the orientation of being a migrant worker as well. According to them the factors that shape perceptions, attitudes and behavior are peers and the social environment of local communities.


Author(s):  
Jingjing Lu ◽  
Minmin Jiang ◽  
Lu Li ◽  
Therese Hesketh

The hukou household registration system in China is being relaxed in small and medium-sized cities, which makes it easier for migrant worker parents to take their children with them to cities for work. The aim of this study was determine the potential impact on psychological well-being of this change for children by migration and hukou status. We conducted a cross-sectional survey using the Chinese version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in urban and migrant schools in the capital, Hangzhou, and in schools in two rural counties of Zhejiang Province. Completed questionnaires were obtained from 2965 children, aged 10 to 15: 867 urban children with urban hukou, 625 migrant children with rural hukou, 695 rural children with rural hukou living with parents, and 778 left behind children. The crude SDQ scores showed that children directly affected by migration (migrant children and left behind children) were most at risk of psychological problems; urban and rural children living with their parents in their accustomed environment were least vulnerable. After adjustment for confounders, migrant children were the most vulnerable to psychological problems. Given that migration with children is on the increase, efforts should be made to improve conditions in urban areas for these children, and especially to ensure access to urban public schools.


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