Effects of multidimensional child poverty on children's mental health in Mainland China

J Health Psychol. 2020 Mar;25(3):400-415. doi: 10.1177/1359105317718379. Epub 2017 Jul 10.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of multidimensional child poverty on children's mental health in Mainland China. The data were based on a survey of children in 2015 conducted by multi-stage cluster random sampling method in Xiushui, where levels of poverty are very high. Structural equation model was adopted to analyze the data and test the hypothesized model. Results showed that multidimensional child poverty had a significant effect on both negative mental health and positive mental health of children, and the seven indicators of multidimensional child poverty all had slightly different effects on children's mental health.

Keywords: Mainland China; children; effect; mental health; multidimensional child poverty.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Child Health / statistics & numerical data*
  • Child, Preschool
  • China
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health / statistics & numerical data*
  • Poverty / statistics & numerical data*