Internalizing Behavior Problems Among the Left-Behind Children of the Hui Nationality in Rural China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Xue Yu; Ling-Ling Wang; Miao-Miao Liu; Qiu-Li Li; Xiu-Ying Dai; Lin-Gui Li

doi:10.2147/PRBM.S347639

Internalizing Behavior Problems Among the Left-Behind Children of the Hui Nationality in Rural China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2022 Apr 12:15:887-902. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S347639. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Xue Yu^#¹, Ling-Ling Wang^#², Miao-Miao Liu³, Qiu-Li Li⁴, Xiu-Ying Dai⁴, Lin-Gui Li⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Beijing First Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
² Clinical Psychiatry 16, Luoyang Fifth People's Hospital-Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.
³ Mental Health Education Center, Yinchuan University of Energy, Yongning, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.
⁴ Mental Health Education Consulting Center, College of Clinic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: The internalizing behavior problems (IBPs) of left-behind children (LBC) due to parental migration are a widespread public health concern in China. A previous study showed that the detection rate of behavioral problems in the Hui was far higher than in the LBC of the Han nationality. However, to date, limited research has focused on IBPs in Chinese LBC of the Hui nationality. The aims of this present study are to explore the prevalence of IBPs and the influencing factors among the Hui LBC in the rural areas of China.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among school students from the southern rural areas in Ningxia, China (2012-2013). The caregivers or parents assessed IBPs using Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist for parents. The children completed the Egma Minnen av Bardndosnauppforstran, Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale. Data on 383 Hui LBC aged 6-16 y were included in this study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between the independent variables and children's internalizing behaviors.

Results: Among the Hui population, the prevalence of IBPs in LBC and non-left-behind children (non-LBC) was 21.67% (83 of 383) and 18.18% (104 of 572), respectively, with no significant difference between these two groups (χ ² = 1.77 and P = 0.18). However, among males of the Hui population, the prevalence of IBPs in LBC was 22.16%, which is significantly higher than in non-LBC (14.07%; χ ² = 5.07; and P = 0.02). By controlling for gender and age, the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a mother highly favoring the subject (odds ratio [OR] = 2.70), average levels of neuroticism (OR = 9.01), and high levels of neuroticism (OR = 8.44) were risk factors for IBPs in Hui LBC.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that IBPs among male LBC of the Hui nationality in rural China were positively related to parental migration. Positive measures should be taken to prevent IBPs of male LBC of the Hui nationality in rural China in terms of personality development and parental childrearing patterns.

Keywords: Hui nationality; internalizing behavior problems; left-behind children; rural areas.

Grants and funding

This research was financially supported by grants from the “twelfth five-year” National Science and Technology for Rural Areas Support Program (2012BAJ18B07-2).