Parents’ economic migration and the psychological well-being of their Polish children

Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze mental well-being, especially anxiety and a sense of loneliness of Polish children temporarily separated from their parent or parents who are migrating for economic reasons, and children who went abroad with their parents. Methods: Explicit Anxiety Scale was used to measure anxiety “Jaki Jesteś?” (“What are you like?” by Skrzypek and Choynowski) (textbook by Zwierzyńska, Matuszewski, 2007) and the Polish versions of the UCLA Loneliness Scale were used to measure loneliness (by Russell, Peplau, & Cutrona, adapted by Rembowski, 1992). Test results were supplemented with an interview with children. 320 children from different types of migrant families participated in the study. Results: the highest level of anxiety is felt by children temporarily separated from their mother, and children who, together with their parents, went abroad and find it difficult to adapt to the new environment. The duration of emigration was an important factor. Most children in the sample ‒ regardless of the type of migratory family ‒ feel lonely, do not feel strong ties with close relatives, do not feel understood by them, do not feel associated with a peer group. Conclusion: The results of the research indicate the necessity to take actions in the area of institutional and legal as well as psychological support for families and children both in the situation of going abroad and returning from migration. The most important directions of activities concerning the creation of environmental forms of separation compensation and the environmental assistance system for the migration family are indicated at the stage of prevention related to people planning trips.

Food Security among Libyan Migrants Living in Australia: A Qualitative Study

Food security among migrants and refugees is a concern across the globe, with the dearth of evidence on food labels and their influence on food security affecting disadvantaged communities especially. This paper discusses the experiences of food security among Libyan migrant families in Australia. The study is situated within the food and nutrition security framework. A qualitative approach was adopted with in-depth interviews conducted with 27 Libyan migrants. Thematic analysis identified three themes: food security, food label comprehension, and strategies for dealing with food insecurity and food labelling difficulties. Food security had different meanings to different individuals. Access to culturally appropriate (halal) foods was problematic for families in regional and rural areas due to a lack of availability outside the main cities. In terms of food labelling, the language and terms used were a common issue for most families in both rural and city environments. Many families attempted to find ways to counteract food insecurity; however, lower-income families found this more burdensome. It is crucial that health and social welfare providers consider means to reduce food insecurity among Libyan migrants to allow them to live a healthier life in Australia.

Structural family factors and bullying at school: a large scale investigation based on a Chinese adolescent sample

Backgrounds Various family factors have been identified in association with school bullying and the involvement of children and adolescents in bullying behaviors. Methods A total of 11,919 participants (female = 6671, mean age = 15) from 22 middle schools in Suzhou City, China completed the questionnaire. The associations between structural family factors (family socio-economic status, living arrangement, number of siblings, whether they were local residents/migrants, had an urban/rural hukou [a household registration system in China], parental and maternal education levels, and other various bullying-related constructs (i.e. bullying witnessing, bullying involvement, bystander intervention, and fear of being bullied) were all examined. Odds ratios (ORs) adjusted for covariates were calculated for the four bullying-related constructs (bullying witness, bullying involvement, bystander intervention, and reactions to being bullied) using structural family factors. Results The result showed that all demographic household characteristics were associated with bullying at school except for being from a single-child family. Adolescents from rural families witnessed more bullying incidents than those from local families (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: [1.09, 1.68]). Adolescents who come from migrant families (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: [1.07, 1.43]) with a rural hukou (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: [1.00, 1.74]) and low parental education levels (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: [1.01, 2.57]) were more likely to be bullies. Adolescents who came from migrant families (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: [1.03, 1.82]), with low maternal education levels (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: [1.06, 1.91]) engaged in more negative bystander intervention behaviors. Furthermore, adolescents with less educated mothers experienced a higher fear of being bullied (never versus sometimes: OR = 1.33, 95% CI: [1.00, 1.85]; never versus usually OR = 1.39, 95% CI: [1.01, 1.20]). Conclusions A systematic examination of the relationship between school bullying and demographic household characteristics may be used to inform school policies on bullying, such as training management on the importance of paying attention to adolescents from disadvantage household backgrounds. Identifying demographic factors that may predict bullying can also be used to prevent individuals from becoming involved in bullying and reduce the related negative consequences from being bullied.

Prevalence and risk factors of food insecurity among Libyan migrant families in Australia

Background The burden of food insecurity remains a public health challenge even in high income countries, such as Australia, and especially among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. While research has been undertaken among several migrant communities in Australia, there is a knowledge gap about food security within some ethnic minorities such as migrants from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This study aims to determine the prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among Libyan migrant families in Australia. Methods A cross-sectional design utilising an online survey and convenience sampling was used to recruit 271 participants, each representing a family, who had migrated from Libya to Australia. Food security was measured using the single-item measure taken from the Australian Health Survey (AHS) and the 18-item measure from the United States Department of Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module (USDA HFSSM). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent correlates associated with food insecurity. Results Using the single-item measure, the prevalence of food insecurity was 13.7% whereas when the 18-item questionnaire was used, more than three out of five families (72.3%) reported being food insecure. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis for the single-item measure, those living alone or with others reported higher odds of being food insecure (AOR = 2.55, 95% CI 1.05, 6.21) compared to those living with their spouse, whereas higher annual income (≥AUD 40,000) was associated with lower odds of food insecurity (AOR = 0.30, 95% CI 0.11, 0.84). Higher annual income was also associated with lower odds of food insecurity (AOR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.25, 0.94) on the 18-item measure. On both single and 18-item measures, larger family size (AOR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.07, 1.49 and AOR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.01, 1.47 respectively) was associated with increased odds of food insecurity. Conclusion This study provides evidence that food insecurity amongst Libyan migrants in Australia is a widespread problem and is associated with a number of sociodemographic and socio-economic factors. The findings of this study serve to contribute to the depth and breadth of food security research among vulnerable communities, in this instance Libyan migrant families.

Interrogating parenting and intergenerational relationships within national and transnational contexts

This introduction provides an overview of contemporary debates related to parenting and intergenerational relationships within national and transnational contexts. Its aim is to further the dialogue on contemporary family life in the 21st century. This special sub-section furthers our understanding of contemporary family life by situating the featured articles within debates on social inequality and social mobility; the intersections of globalization, education, and social inequality; racial and ethnic socialization; and the diversity of migrant families’ multi-local experiences. As such, this introduction – in conjunction with the featured articles – encourages readers to consider the connections between the broader changes taking place in contemporary social life and their impact on the practical and symbolic aspects of family life.