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Family Income or Left-Behind Status? Exploring the Key Determinant of Rural Children's Emotional and Behavioral Problems

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Title: Family Income or Left-Behind Status? Exploring the Key Determinant of Rural Children's Emotional and Behavioral Problems
Language: English
Authors: Yueyue Zhou (ORCID 0000-0003-1369-2686), Yayun Wang, Lin Fu, Qingwen Ding, Minghui Wang, Yulan Cheng, Zhengkui Liu
Source: International Journal of Behavioral Development. 2026 50(1):140-149.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Young Children, Emotional Problems, Behavior Problems, Rural Youth, Child Caregivers, Caregiver Role, Caregiver Attitudes, Family Income, Individual Characteristics, Parent Influence, Economic Factors, Child Custody
Geographic Terms: China
DOI: 10.1177/01650254251349784
ISSN: 0165-0254
1464-0651
Abstract: Left-behind children, who are usually raised by non-parent caregivers, are often regarded as problem children in China. However, the association between left-behind status (i.e., whether children are left behind) and problem behaviors remains controversial due to the confounding effects of other demographic characteristics, such as sex, age, parents' educational attainment and family income. Our study utilized a large national survey to investigate which demographic characteristics, particularly left-behind status, are associated with the highest risk of emotional and behavioral problems in children. A total of 10,124 children (aged 3-8 years) and their primary caregivers from 27 counties in 12 provinces of China were included in this study. The participants completed a demographic information questionnaire (e.g., left-behind status, sex, age, education levels of parents and primary caregivers, and family income) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups of children with similar demographic information, and the emotional behavioral problems of these subgroups were subsequently compared. Rural children were divided into four significantly different subgroups based on demographic characteristics. A comparison of the differences in emotional and behavioral problems among the four subgroups showed that a child's level of emotional and behavioral problems was associated with family income but not left-behind status. Our results indicate that being left behind might not be the determinant of rural children's emotional and behavioral problems. Instead, the family income may play a crucial role.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://osf.io/q7mgz
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1495493
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Family Income or Left-Behind Status? Exploring the Key Determinant of Rural Children's Emotional and Behavioral Problems
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yueyue+Zhou%22">Yueyue Zhou</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1369-2686">0000-0003-1369-2686</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yayun+Wang%22">Yayun Wang</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lin+Fu%22">Lin Fu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Qingwen+Ding%22">Qingwen Ding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Minghui+Wang%22">Minghui Wang</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yulan+Cheng%22">Yulan Cheng</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhengkui+Liu%22">Zhengkui Liu</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Behavioral+Development%22"><i>International Journal of Behavioral Development</i></searchLink>. 2026 50(1):140-149.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 10
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+Children%22">Young Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Problems%22">Emotional Problems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior+Problems%22">Behavior Problems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Youth%22">Rural Youth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Caregivers%22">Child Caregivers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caregiver+Role%22">Caregiver Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caregiver+Attitudes%22">Caregiver Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Income%22">Family Income</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individual+Characteristics%22">Individual Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Influence%22">Parent Influence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Economic+Factors%22">Economic Factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Custody%22">Child Custody</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/01650254251349784
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 0165-0254<br />1464-0651
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Left-behind children, who are usually raised by non-parent caregivers, are often regarded as problem children in China. However, the association between left-behind status (i.e., whether children are left behind) and problem behaviors remains controversial due to the confounding effects of other demographic characteristics, such as sex, age, parents' educational attainment and family income. Our study utilized a large national survey to investigate which demographic characteristics, particularly left-behind status, are associated with the highest risk of emotional and behavioral problems in children. A total of 10,124 children (aged 3-8 years) and their primary caregivers from 27 counties in 12 provinces of China were included in this study. The participants completed a demographic information questionnaire (e.g., left-behind status, sex, age, education levels of parents and primary caregivers, and family income) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups of children with similar demographic information, and the emotional behavioral problems of these subgroups were subsequently compared. Rural children were divided into four significantly different subgroups based on demographic characteristics. A comparison of the differences in emotional and behavioral problems among the four subgroups showed that a child's level of emotional and behavioral problems was associated with family income but not left-behind status. Our results indicate that being left behind might not be the determinant of rural children's emotional and behavioral problems. Instead, the family income may play a crucial role.
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  Data: https://osf.io/q7mgz
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1495493
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        Type: general
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      – SubjectFull: Emotional Problems
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      – SubjectFull: Rural Youth
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      – SubjectFull: Family Income
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