Examining the Relation between Caregiver Mental Health and Student Outcomes in Rural China.

Huan Wang,Grace Hu,Scott Rozelle,Claire Cousineau,Sunny Qi,Yuwei Adeline Hu,Manpreet Singh,Helen Wu,Adrian Sun

doi:10.3390/ijerph182312613

Huan Wang, Grace Hu + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312613

Copy DOI

Abstract

Research continues to highlight the central relationship between caregivers’ mental health and their children’s development. This study examined the relation between primary caregivers’ mental health and school-aged children’s outcomes, including student mental health, resilience, and academic performance, in rural China. Using cross-sectional data from economically poor areas in the Gansu province, 2989 students (mean age = 11.51, 53.33% male, 46.67% female) and their primary caregivers (74.2% female) completed the 21-item, self-report Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Students also completed the 25-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and a standardized math test. The results indicated a high prevalence of caregiver depression (31%), stress (39%), and anxiety (24%). Characteristics that were significantly correlated with caregiver mental health issues included being a grandparent, having a low socioeconomic status and low education level, and living in a household with at least one migrant worker. Apart from caregiver stress and student resilience, caregiver mental health issues were negatively correlated with all student outcomes, including student mental health, resilience, and academic performance. Although additional empirical research is needed to investigate the associations between caregiver mental health and student outcomes, our results suggest that rural communities could benefit greatly from programs focused on improving the mental health of caregivers and this, in turn, may have a positive impact on student outcomes.

Highlights

A growing body of research highlights a central relation between primary caregivers’mental health and their children’s early childhood development outcomes
Characteristics that were significantly correlated with caregiver mental health issues included being a grandparent, having a low socioeconomic status and low education level, and living in a household with at least one migrant worker
More research is necessary to examine the causal relation between caregiver mental health and student outcomes, our study provides empirical evidence, using a large sample size, that there are significant associations between the mental health of caregivers and student outcomes, including student mental health, resilience, and academic performance

Summary

Introduction

Mental health and their children’s early childhood development outcomes. Prior studies have found that poor mental health, including depression and anxiety, among caregivers may be associated with poor health outcomes among their children [1,2,3,4]. Parental depression may negatively affect the quality of parent–child interactions, including certain aspects of a child’s mental health and well-being [6,7,8]. The extant literature suggests that, in addition to the impact on early childhood development, the mental health of a caregiver may have an impact on student outcomes, including mental health, resilience, and academic performance. Compared to the offspring of parents without depression, the adolescent offspring of parents with depression have a greater risk of being victimized by both teachers and students at school, which could affect student mental health, educational attainment, and peer interactions [9]

Results

Discussion

Conclusion