Parental absence, child victimization, and psychological well-being in rural China

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• 作者：Mengtong Chen ; PhD^a ; Ko Ling Chan^a ; ^b ; ^{eklchan@hku.hk" class="auth_mail" title="E-mail the corresponding author} (Associate Professor)
• 关键词：Parental absence ; Left-behind children ; Child victimization ; Poly-victimization ; Depression
• 刊名：Child Abuse & Neglect
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：September 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：59
• 期：Complete
• 页码：45-54
• 全文大小：385 K

文摘

Using cross-sectional data regarding 793 rural children aged 10–16 in Sichuan Province of China, the present study examined the preceding-year rates of seven forms of child victimization (physical assault, property crime, peer/sibling victimization, child maltreatment, sexual victimization, witnessing family violence, and exposure to community violence) and poly-victimization, and found children’s victimization experiences increased as the degree of parental absence increased (from the presence of two biological parents, to parental migration and parental separation and divorce). Elevated levels of depression were also found among left-behind children and children of separated or divorced parents, compared to children living with both biological parents; and child poly-victimization added to the risk of child depression. Certain demographic characteristics (being a boy and younger) and parental factors were associated with child victimization in rural China. This study highlights the need for child protection in rural China, and in particular for parent-absent children.