A longitudinal study of depressive symptoms and delinquency among Chinese left-behind children

Psychiatry Res. 2021 Jul:301:113955. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113955. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Abstract

This study sought to identify the developmental trajectories of depressive symptoms and delinquency in Chinese left-behind children (LBC) over a three-year period, a topic that is less often studied. Overall, 578 Chinese LBC (Mage= 10.63 years; boys = 53.1%) were tested three times on their depressive symptoms and delinquency from grades four through six. Unconditional latent growth modeling revealed no linear change in LBC's depressive symptoms, whereas there was a linear decrease over time in LBC's delinquency. Multiple-group models revealed that the pattern of change in LBC's delinquency differed across parental migration status and gender. Moreover, mother-only migration LBC showed higher initial depressive symptoms and initial delinquency levels than father-only migration LBC. The results provided a more accurate developmental picture by charting patterns of stability and change among Chinese LBC's depressive symptoms and delinquency in the context of parental migration.

Keywords: Latent growth modeling; Longitudinal study; Parental migration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • China / epidemiology
  • Depression* / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Rural Population*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires