Abstract
This study aims to estimate the prevalence of behavioral problems among left-behind children, migrant children and local children in China, and to compare the risks of behavioral problems among the three types of children. Data on 4479 children aged 6–16 used in this study were from a survey conducted in China in 2017. The school-age version of the Children Behavior Checklist was used to measure children’s behavioral problems. Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and logistic regressions were conducted. The prevalence of behavioral problems was 18.80% and 13.59% for left-behind children and migrant children, respectively, both of which were higher than that of local children. Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustments for individual and environmental variables, the likelihood of total, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems for left-behind children and migrant children were higher than those for local children; left-behind children had a higher likelihood of internalizing problems than externalizing problems, while migrant children had a higher prevalence of externalizing problems. Left-behind children had a higher prevalence of each specific syndrome than migrant and local children. Both individual and environmental factors were associated with child behavioral problems, and family migration may contribute to the increased risks. Left-behind and migrant children were more vulnerable than local children to behavioral problems.
Highlights
Children’s behavioral problems, which are reflections of children’s psychological wellbeing, have become a major concern in children’s development and functioning across the world
23.48% were left-behind children, and 34.46% were migrant children. 57.74% of children were between 6–11 years old, 46.50%
We found that the significance of differences between migrant and local children disappeared in a majority of syndromes among girls and boys aged 12–16, which may suggest that the effects of family migration were declining
Summary
Children’s behavioral problems, which are reflections of children’s psychological wellbeing, have become a major concern in children’s development and functioning across the world. Studies reported that approximately 20% of global children were affected by behavioral problems in 2011 [1]. Behavioral problems of children may result in serious disruption of the educational process, self-injury or mental health problems [2,3,4]. Studies showed that children’s emotional and behavioral problems were associated with broad factors being constructed as a hierarchical system. Children’s personal characteristics and environmental factors, including family, school and living surroundings were related to the types, Int. J. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 655; doi:10.3390/ijerph15040655 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
