Abstract
Background: In Asia, especially in China and ASEAN, it has been an obvious trend that the population in general and parents in particular leave the countryside to bigger cities or more developed countries for employment opportunities. Many migrant workers are forced to leave their children at home with caregivers, particularly in families with both husband and wife working away from home. Studies worldwide have showed that, besides positive economic and social impacts, labor migrant parents also cause negative effects to the well-being of those they leave behind, especially children. However, this study orientation has not generated significant interest in Vietnam. Participants: This paper indicates the results of a survey on 469 left-behind children of labor migrant parents in rural areas by comparing them with a control group of 650 children living with their parents in three rural areas of North Vietnam including Phu Tho, Bac Ninh and Ha Nam provinces. Besides, we also survey 363 caregivers (parent or grandfather/grandmother of left-behind children) about psychological well-being of left-behind children. Method: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used for this study. SDQ was Vietnamized by author Dang Hoang Minh et al. (2013) and adaptable to Vietnamese teenagers. Results: As reported by the surveyed children, the SDQ mean total difficulties score of those having migrant parents was 12.55 (SD = 5.96) and 18.9% of these children had scores higher than the cut-off score. As rated by caregivers, they were 11.12 (SD = 5.14) and 15.1%, respectively. There is a statistically significant difference in mental health between the LBC and non-LBC group. The general trend is that the LBC reported to have higher scores of total difficulties and specific expressions including hyperactivity/inattention, emotional symptoms, peer relationship problems, conduct problems than that of non-LBC. Self-esteem and self-assessment of academic performance is the key factors affecting total difficulties of left-behind children.
Highlights
Studies worldwide indicate that parents working away from home have negative impacts on their left-behind children in many aspects
Participants: This paper indicates the results of a survey on 469 left-behind children of labor migrant parents in rural areas by comparing them with a control group of 650 children living with their parents in three rural areas of North Vietnam including Phu Tho, Bac Ninh and Ha Nam provinces
The proportion of children of migrant parents under borderline and abnormal categories is higher than that of children living with their parents
Summary
Studies worldwide indicate that parents working away from home have negative impacts on their left-behind children in many aspects. Children of migrant parents have trouble in self-assessment, for example, they are un-self-confident, aloof and isolated in studies of Jingzhong & Lu (2011); Shen & Shen (2014) [4] [6]. According to studies of Fan et al, parental migration due to employment does cause negative impacts on children’s learning, emotions and self-assessment, and creates negative behaviors on left-behind children. These studies show that boys tend to display their negative behaviours higher than girls [5] [8].
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