Visual Analysis of the Hotspots and Frontier of Research on Boarding Students in China by Using CiteSpace—Based on the Chinese Social Studies Citation Index Database (2010-2022)

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the current status and hotspots of research on Chinese boarding students. Literature on research studies studying Chinese boarding students from January 1, 2010, to December 30, 2022, was retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI). CiteSpace 6.1.R6 software was used to visualize and analyze authors, institutions, and keywords. In total, 416 papers were included. The results found that (1) research about boarding students in China has shown a steady increase over a decade, but has shown a fluctuating downward trend since 2016. (2) In the process of researching boarding students, a more central network of research institutions has formed, comprising a complex collaborative network centered on the Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as key figures such as Sun Jing, Pu Wei, and Ma Guansheng. (3) From multiple dimensions of keywords, clustering, and mutation, rural boarding students from elementary school to high school are a group that has received high attention; education and physical health status issues, mental health, and school adjustment have been research hotspots from the time the group was established to the present. (4) The frontiers of research on boarding students are focused on school adjustment, cognitive skills, peer relationships, psychological capital, and physical activity.