Influential factors on mental health of rural left-behind junior middle school students, coping style, personality and self-esteem

Abstract

Objective To find out the differences between left -behind and non left-behind junior middle school students (JMSS) on Coping Style,Personality and Self-Esteem,and to analysis the influence of coping style,personality and self-esteem on mental health of left-behind JMSS.Methods 2406 JMSS in rural areas in Hunan were assessed,using self-designed Demographic Data Recording Form,Simplified Coping Style Question-naire,Eysenek Personality Questionnaire,Self-Esteem Scale and Scale of Mental Health for Chinese Middle-school Student.Results Score of positive coping style was lower(1.58±0.45 vs 1.64±0.46,P=0.011),while the score of negative coping style was higher(1.14±0.49 vs 1.09±0.48,P=0.022) for left-behind JMSS than for non-left-behind JMSS;the there were no significant differences on Pschoticism (P) (4.96±3.26 vs 4.83±3.23,P=0.357) ,Extraversion(E) (16.39±3.87 vs 16.61±4.06,P=0.592)and Lie(L) (2.77±3.76 vs12.84±3.71,P=0.447),while score of Neuroticism(N) (10.94±4.83 vs 10.46±5.03,P=0.020)for left-behind JMSS was higher than non-left-behind JMSS;score of self-esteem was loweR 26.67±3.55 vs 27.27±3.56,P=0.001)for left-behind JMSS than non-left-behind JMSS.Mental health of left-behind JMSS was signifi-candy correlated with positive coping style(r=-0.044),negative coping style(r=0.383),P(r=0.331),E(r=-0.113),N(r=0.548),L(r=-0.292) and self-esteem(r=-0.315) ;N (β=0.396),negative coping style (β=0.220),P(β=0.118),aelf-esteem (β=-0.146),positive coping style(β=0.074) and L(β=-0.071)entered the multiple linear regression equation,which can explained 41.1% of the changes on mental health of left-behind JMSS(F=150.602,P=0.000).Conclusion With parents going to cities to work,rural left-behind JMSS used negative coping styles to solve difficulties more,their developments of personality were un-healthier and their score of self-esteem were lower than non-left-behind JMSS,that interfered the development of their mental health. Key words: Left-behind junior middle school students; Coping style; Personality; Self-esteem; Mental health