Mental health among left-behind children in Vietnam: Role of resilience

Abstract

Introduction Having parents working away from home is an unexpected separation that has tremendous effects on various life aspects of left-behind children (LBC) with mental health problems. Some of these aspects, including LBC's subjective well-being, emotions, behaviors, academic difficulties, nutrition, and mental health, have been addressed in previous studies. However, the role of resilience in protecting LBC from mental health issues has received inadequate attention. Aim The present study investigates mental health issues among LBC and the role of resilience in protecting these children from these issues. Methods The participants were 792 students, of which 439 were LBC, with a mean age of 12.65 years old and a standard deviation of 1.60. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Resilience Scale were used to measure participants' mental health and resilience, respectively. Results 14% of LBCs had mental health issues, requiring support and intervention. There was no statistically significant difference between LBC and non-left-behind children (NLBC) in terms of mental health. 37.9% of the variance in participants' mental health was explained by resilience types, namely: goal planning, affect control, family support, and help-seeking. Conclusions A small percentage of both LBC and NLBC had mental health issues. Resilience was a protective factor for LBC against mental health issues. Thus, we suggest parents, caregivers, and related people organize necessary activities to promote LBC's resilience.