Parental Migration Trajectories From Childhood Through Adolescence: Longitudinal Impact on Emotional and Behavioral Problems Among Chinese Adolescents

Overview

Journal J Youth Adolesc

Specialties Pediatrics
Psychology
Social Sciences

Date 2024 Apr 2

PMID 38564098

Authors

Mengshi Li

Yunfei Qiu

Yuwen Xia

Dantong Li

Gege Ma

Shang Ma

Jingxu Zhang

Xiaoli Wang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

It is estimated that there are about 23% of all children in China experiencing parental migration and being left behind at hometown. Existing research indicated a significant association between parental migration and children development but overlooked the dynamic changes in family structure caused by parental migration. In this study, data was derived from a nationally representative longitudinal survey-the China Family Panel Studies. The main analyses employed four waves of data (2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018) and included 1401 adolescents aged 10-15 years (Mean:12.35, SD:1.67; 54.2% female). Six typical trajectories of parental migration capturing both migration status at each timepoint and changes in the status across six years were created. Children's depression and internalizing problems and externalizing problems were concerned outcomes. The mediating roles of the caregiver-child interaction and caregiver's depression were examined. Adolescents in the trajectory group described as experiencing transitions between being left behind by both parents and non had a higher risk of depression and internalizing and externalizing problems. Caregivers' depression was a significant mediator between parental migration and adolescent depression.

Citing Articles

Migrant parent-child separation in the first three years of life and mental health problems at preschool age: A cross-sectional study.

Akezhuoli H, Tan M, Ma Y, Liu X, Xu J, Lu J J Migr Health. 2025; 11:100310.

PMID: 40034584 PMC: 11872491. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmh.2025.100310.

Developmental Trajectory of Depressive Symptoms among Left-behind Children in Rural China: The Roles of Family Adversity and Personal Growth Initiative.

Li X, Fan X, Yan L, Jin J, Yu S, Deng H J Youth Adolesc. 2024; 54(2):339-353.

PMID: 39251471 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-024-02077-5.

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