The topic of school bullying has become an important issue over the world. Being in disadvantaged situations of fathers’ absence, prior research suggested that left-behind children (LBC) with absent fathers in China are more vulnerable to get involved in school bullying (bullying or being bullied). In addition, fathers’ absence brings much pressure to single stay-at-home mothers, leading to more maternal psychologically controlling parenting. Following a three-wave longitudinal design, this study aimed to examine the developmental relationship between maternal psychological control and father-absent LBC’s bullying/victimization as well as its mechanism. A total of 348 father-absent LBC aged 7–11 years in China completed a battery of questionnaires at three-time points. The results indicated that there are reciprocal effects between maternal psychological control and father-absent LBC’s bullying/victimization. Specifically, maternal psychological control at T1 predicted father-absent LBC’s victimization at T2; children’s victimization at T2 predicted maternal psychological control at T3; maternal psychological control predicted later children’s bullying perpetration stably from T1 to T2 and from T2 to T3; children’s bullying at T2 predicted maternal psychological control at T3. Two vicious circles happened in the above relationships. Current findings highlight the stronger effects of mothers’ negative parenting on children’s school bullying, which bring inspiration for future family education and school intervention.
BackgroundLoneliness and depression are common emotional problems among left‐behind children, and these emotional problems may have a high correlation with attachment relationships.AimsThis study aimed to investigate the effects of parent–child attachment on left‐behind children's loneliness and depression and the mediating roles of peer attachment and teacher–student relationship and their gender differences.MethodsUsing two waves of data, 614 left‐behind children participated in the longitudinal study by completing a series of relevant questionnaire two times (spaced 6 months).ResultsThe results showed that (1) both father–child attachment and mother–child attachment could negatively predict the loneliness and depression of left‐behind children. Further, mother–child attachment has a greater predictive effect on loneliness. (2) Peer attachment played a mediating role in parent–child attachment and left‐behind children's loneliness; teacher–student relationship played a mediating role in parent–child attachment and left‐behind children's loneliness and depression. (3) The scores of girls were higher than those of boys in the four types of attachment relationships; the mediating role of teacher–student relationship between parent–child attachment and depression was significant only among boys.ConclusionsThis study explored the factors that may have impacts on left‐behind children's loneliness and depression as well as its potential mechanism and their gender differences based on the perspective of multiple‐attachment theory. These results emphasize the important role of close parent–child attachment in reducing loneliness and depression among left‐behind children, as well as the necessary mediating role of peer attachment and teacher–student relationships. These findings provide some valuable recommendations for preventing left‐behind children's loneliness and depression.
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