What Matters on Rural Left-Behind Children’s Problem Behavior: Family Socioeconomic Status or Perceived Discrimination

Abstract

With the acceleration of China’s industrialization and urbanization, there is a large number of left-behind children in China who are reported with more challenges in development. The study aims to analyze the differences in family socioeconomic status (SES) and discrimination perception between left-behind children and non-left-behind children and further explore whether SES or discrimination perception has a greater impact on the problem behaviors of left-behind children. We found the family SES of left-behind children was significantly lower than that of non-left-behind children; left-behind children’s perceived discrimination was significantly higher than that of non-left-behind children; perceived discrimination of left-behind children had a greater impact on their problem behavior than the family SES.

Marginalized Education: Dilemmas and Solutions for Rural Chinese Teachers

“…Left-behind children are a direct result of China's rapid economic development and a significant social phenomenon generated by farmers' relocation to cities in the context of social transformation. Children under the age of 16 must be cared for by others since both or one of their parents must work or do business [10]. As economic opportunities entice parents to the city, more youngsters are left behind to care for relatives or themselves [10].…”

“…Children under the age of 16 must be cared for by others since both or one of their parents must work or do business [10]. As economic opportunities entice parents to the city, more youngsters are left behind to care for relatives or themselves [10]. While this separation is meant to help families, it unintentionally presents several educational challenges for these children and teachers.…”