The impacts of parent-child communication on left-behind children's mental health and suicidal ideation: A cross sectional study in Anhui. (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lu, Jingjing; Lin, Leesa; Roy, Brita; Riley, Carley; Wang, Emily; Wang, Karen; Li, Lu; Wang, Feng; Zhou, Xudong
• Is Part Of: Children and youth services review. Volume 110(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Maternal migration -- Left-behind children -- Mental health -- Suicidal ideation -- Parent-child communication; LBC left-behind children -- SDQ the strengths and difficulties questionnaire -- LBC-MP LBC report their mothers had previously migrated -- LBC-MN LBC report their mothers had never been migrants; Social work with children -- Periodicals; Social work with youth -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Child Welfare -- Periodicals; Social Work -- Periodicals; Service social aux enfants -- Périodiques; Service social à la jeunesse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104785
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-7409

Abstract

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the impact of previous maternal migration experiences on left-behind children's (LBC) mental health status and suicidal ideation, and the possible mediating role of parent-child communication. A cross-sectional study among rural children was conducted in Anhui, China, in 2018. LBC who self-reported that (a) their fathers were migrants and (b) they were living with their mothers at the time of the survey were included in this study. The participants were then divided into two subgroups by previous maternal migration experience. Previous maternal migration was associated with worse mental health and a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation among LBC compared with their peers. Healthy communication between children and parents fully mediates the adverse effects caused by previous maternal migration experiences on mental health among LBC, and communication with mother partially mediates the association with suicidal ideation. Communication classes for returning parents offered jointly by governments and schools could be an effective way to mitigate the impacts of maternal migration on child mental health and should be studied.