School Students In Rural China Research Articles

The association between visual impairment, educational outcomes, and mental health: insights from eyeglasses usage among junior high school students in rural China

This study examined the association between visual impairment, visual impairment corrected by wearing eyeglasses, academic performance, and mental health among junior high school students in rural China. Visual acuity assessments were conducted on 19,425 junior high school students by trained medical and research professionals to determine the presence of visual impairment. All sample students were surveyed with a questionnaire that asked about individual and family characteristics, eyeglasses ownership, and educational aspirations and included a standardized math test. Students then completed an official Chinese simplified version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to assess their mental health multidimensionally. Among our sample, 37.2% of them suffered from visual impairment, but only 43.4% of the visually impaired students wore proper eyeglasses. Approximately 9.3% of students were categorized as high risk for mental health problems based on their SDQ score. A significant positive association existed between impaired vision and poorer mental health, and eyeglasses usage was associated with better mental health among visually impaired students. For students with better academic performance, eyeglasses usage associated with better mental health. Eyeglasses usage shows a positive association with higher education aspiration both for students with better and worse academic performance. The significant positive relationship between eyeglasses usage and mental health may guide future interventions and policies designed to improve student mental health by supplying them with eyeglasses.

Perceived teacher expectations and the academic engagement of junior high school students in rural China: The role of academic self-efficacy

The “Rosenthal effect” occurs when teachers’ expectations are positively correlated with students’ academic behaviors and performance. However, it is necessary to explore the specific relationship with academic engagement in terms of students’ perceived teacher expectations. This study involving 907 students from three junior high schools in rural China reveals the relationships among perceived teacher expectations, academic self-efficacy, and academic engagement using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that perceived teacher expectations are positively related to academic engagement. Academic self-efficacy plays an indirect role in the relationship between perceived teacher expectations and academic engagement. The findings have important educational implications: they advance the relevant research on teacher expectations, and they provide feasible and practical strategies to ensure that rural students obtain a more equitable and high-quality education.

The Connection between Sleep Patterns and Mental Health: Insights from Rural Chinese Students.

The association between sleep patterns and young students' mental health, which is crucial for their development, remains understudied in rural China. Therefore, the relationship between sleep patterns and mental health among primary and junior high school students in rural China was examined. A total of 1592 primary and junior high school students from rural areas of Gansu Province were surveyed, and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) was utilized to assess mental health, alongside self-reported data on their daily sleep patterns. Significant sleep inadequacies were identified: 28% of students received less than 8 h of sleep on weekdays, and 19% went to bed later than recommended. On weekends, 38% of students had delayed bedtimes, though only 7.2% received less than 8 h of sleep. Notably, a "U-shaped" relationship was uncovered between sleep duration and mental health for students on weekends, with optimal mental health correlated with receiving 10-11 h of sleep, while both shorter and longer sleep durations on weekends worsened outcomes. This pattern is absent on weekdays. Additionally, adequate sleep and an earlier bedtime was linked to a 6-8% decrease in mental health risks. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to enhance student mental well-being in rural settings, emphasizing the importance of implementing measures that promote balanced sleep habits among young students.

The Relationship between Family Factors and Academic Achievement of Junior High School Students in Rural China: Mediation Effect of Parental Involvement.

This study aims to understand how socioeconomic status and the family environment impact students' academic achievement through the mediation of parental involvement in rural China. To achieve this, a cross-sectional design was adopted, and a total of 525 parents of rural junior high school students from S province in southwest China were surveyed. The proposed conceptual framework was tested by structural equation modeling. The results claimed that both socioeconomic status and the family environment are important factors affecting the academic achievement of rural students, and the role of the family environment is more pronounced. Furthermore, parental involvement has a significant mediating effect between socioeconomic status and academic achievement, especially between the family environment and academic achievement. The findings highlighted the importance of the family environment and parental involvement to compensate for the negative impact of disadvantaged family socioeconomic status on academic achievement.

Parenting style and the non-cognitive development of high school student: evidence from rural China.

Understanding the relationship between parenting style and the non-cognitive development of high school students is crucial, particularly in rural China. Non-cognitive abilities, including traits such as emotional regulation, resilience, and interpersonal skills, play a significant role in students' overall development and future success. This study aims to investigate how different parenting styles impact non-cognitive abilities among high school students in rural China. This study surveyed 6,549 high school students and their primary caregivers in rural China. The students had an average age of 17.61 years, with 48% being male, and 62% of Han ethnicity. Primary caregivers self-reported their parenting styles, while the students' non-cognitive abilities were assessed using the Big Five Inventory-Short (BFI-S). The relationship between parenting style and non-cognitive development was analyzed using two distinct methods: two dimensions (authoritative and authoritarian) and four categories of parenting styles. The study revealed that an authoritative parenting style had a positive impact on the non-cognitive abilities of students. Conversely, a negative association was observed between the authoritarian parenting style and the students' non-cognitive development. This association was more pronounced in the non-cognitive developmental scores of girls compared to boys. Additionally, parents from wealthier families or those with higher levels of education were more likely to adopt an authoritative parenting style rather than an authoritarian one. The results of this study highlight the significant influence of parenting styles on the non-cognitive development of high school students in rural China. Authoritative parenting, characterized by warmth and structure, appears to foster better non-cognitive outcomes, while authoritarian parenting, marked by strictness and less warmth, is associated with poorer non-cognitive development. The gender differences observed suggest that girls may be more sensitive to variations in parenting style. Furthermore, the socioeconomic and educational background of parents plays a crucial role in determining the parenting style adopted. These findings underscore the importance of developing and implementing parenting training interventions in rural China, aimed at promoting authoritative parenting practices to enhance the non-cognitive development of students.

Family functioning and learning engagement of junior high school students in rural China: the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy

This study examined academic self-efficacy as a mediator in the relationship between family functioning and learning engagement by constructing a structural equation model. The participants were 817 students from public junior high schools in rural China. The data were collected by measuring family functioning, academic self-efficacy, and learning engagement using self-report assessments. The results indicated that family functioning was positively associated with learning engagement; academic self-efficacy significantly mediated the correlation between family functioning and learning engagement. In addition, the mediating effect of academic self-efficacy varied across dimensions of family functioning. These findings contribute to understanding the internal relationship between family functioning and learning engagement, and have implications for improving the learning engagement of disadvantaged students in rural areas.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among elementary students in rural China: Prevalence, correlates, and consequences

BackgroundAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a widely recognized mental health problem in developed countries but remains under-investigated in developing settings. This study examines the prevalence, correlates, and consequences of ADHD symptoms among elementary school students in rural China. MethodsCross-sectional data were collected from 6,719 students across 120 rural primary schools in China on ADHD symptoms, demographic characteristics, and academic performance in reading and math. ADHD symptoms were evaluated using the caregiver-reported ADHD Rating Scale-IV. ResultsThe prevalence of ADHD symptoms was 7.5% in our sample. Male students, students in lower grade levels, and students with lower cognitive ability showed a significantly higher prevalence of ADHD symptoms (ORs = 2.56, 2.06, and 1.84, respectively; p<0.05). Left-behind children showed a significantly lower prevalence of ADHD symptoms than did children who were living with their parents (OR = 0.74, p < 0.05). Adjusted regressions show that students with ADHD symptoms scored 0.12 standardized deviations lower in reading (p < 0.05) and 0.19 standardized deviations lower in math (p < 0.01). LimitationsThe ADHD Rating Scale-IV is a screening scale rather than a diagnostic test. Caregiver self-report measures also may underestimate ADHD symptoms for our sample. ConclusionsADHD is a common disorder among rural students in China and appears to be contributing to poor academic outcomes. The higher prevalence of ADHD among students with low cognitive ability also suggests that many rural children in China face multifactorial learning challenges. Taken together, the findings indicate a need for educators and policymakers in rural China to develop programs to reduce risk and support students with ADHD symptoms.

Measuring health-related quality of life in elementary and secondary school students using the Chinese version of the EQ-5D-Y in rural China

BackgroundTo measure health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of elementary and secondary school students in rural China using the simplified Chinese version of the EQ-5D-Y.MethodBoth the samples of students were from a school-based cohort study in a county located in southwestern China. The students self-completed the EQ-5D-Y. Feasibility was evaluated according to the percentages of missing values. Known group validity was assessed by comparing the frequency of reporting EQ-5D-Y problems between groups known to differ in health status.ResultsA total of 1728 elementary students and 2116 secondary students were included in the analysis. Their respective mean age was 8.7 (range: 7–15) years and 14.8 (range: 11–18) years, with girls being 45.1 and 50.1%, respectively. The missing values in both samples were quite low. Elementary students were less likely to have problems on‘having pain or discomfort’ and ‘feeling worried, sad or unhappy’ dimensions, but more likely to report problems on the dimensions related to physical functioning. Gender difference in HRQOL was only detected for secondary students in terms of ‘doing usual activities’, ‘having pain or discomfort,’ and ‘feeling worried, sad or unhappy’ (P < 0.05 for all). The significant differences in HRQOL were not observed for the other characteristics.ConclusionsIt appears that the EQ-5D-Y is feasible and valid instrument in school-aged children and adolescents in rural China; but it suffers from similar disadvantages to those found in other general populations. The HRQOL distributions measured by the EQ-5D-Y were also provided.

Visual impairment and spectacles ownership among upper secondary school students in northwestern China

To assess the prevalence of visual impairment and spectacles ownership among academic and vocational upper secondary school students in rural China. This cross-sectional study included 5583 students from four academic upper secondary schools (AUSSs) and two vocational upper secondary schools (VUSSs) in Mei and Qianyang counties, Baoji Prefecture, Shaanxi Province. In March and April 2016, students underwent assessment of visual acuity (VA) and completed a questionnaire regarding spectacles use and family characteristics. Students with visual impairment (presenting VA ≤6/12 in the better eye) and students needing spectacles (uncorrected VA ≤6/12 in the better eye, which could be improved to >6/12 with refraction) were identified. Among 5583 students (54% boys, mean age 16.4±1.0 years) in grades 10 and grade 11 attending AUSSs (n=4549) and VUSSs (n=1034), visual impairment was detected in 4026 students. Among the AUSS students, 3425 (75%) needed spectacles; 2551 (75%) had them. Among the VUSS students, 601 (58%) needed spectacles; this proportion was significantly smaller (P=0.004), as was the proportion who had spectacles (n=212, 35%, P<0.001), compared with the AUSS students. Multivariate analysis showed that ownership of spectacles among children who needed them was associated with worse uncorrected VA (P<0.001), male sex (P<0.001), and residence in an urban area (P<0.034). Spectacles ownership was also strongly associated with AUSS education (P<0.001). There is a high rate of unmet need in visual care among upper secondary school students. Lack of spectacles ownership among children who needed them was significantly associated with VUSS education.

The impacts of maternal separation experience and its pattern on depression and dysfunctional attitude in middle school students in rural China

In China, because of the growth of economically driven rural-to-urban migration, there are lots of children in rural area who are separating or have separation experience with their parents. Until now, few studies focused on solely maternal separation and no research studied whether its pattern will affect children's later psychological status. The aim of this study was to determine whether early or late maternal separation affects depression and dysfunctional attitude in middle school students and what is the role of cumulative duration and meeting frequency. Maternal separation experience was obtained by using questionnaires. We got early maternal separation group first. Then, late maternal separation and control group were obtained with the same number by matching grade, sex and family socioeconomic status. All the students in the three groups completed the scales of Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS). Both CDI and DAS scores of early separation group are higher than the other two groups. When we split the data by sex, only females presented the same results. When cumulative duration is short, there is significant difference in both scores of CDI and DAS among the three groups, which showed the scores of early separation group are higher than the other two groups. When the cumulative duration is long, there is no significant difference among the three groups. When meeting frequency is high, there is no significant difference among the three groups. When it is low, there is significant difference among the three groups, which showed the CDI and DAS scores of early separation group are higher than the other two groups. Furthermore, the same results are also found in females. Early maternal separation may exert negative influence on student's depression and dysfunctional attitude. The sex, cumulative duration and meeting frequency may also play important roles in the effect.

Seeing Is Believing: Experimental Evidence on the Impact of Eyeglasses on Academic Performance, Aspirations, and Dropout among Junior High School Students in Rural China

AbstractWe present results of a randomized trial testing the impact on academic outcomes of providing free eyeglasses to junior high school students in a poor rural area of western China. We find t...

Factors linked to cultivating successful readers: Evidence from rural China

In China, education gaps exist not only between rural and urban students, but also within the population of rural students. Evidence points to poor reading skills development as one possible factor in this gap. If reading skills are moderating variations in academic performance among rural students, what factors in the home and school environment lead some students to develop strong reading skills? Using data from 1870 primary school students in rural China, the results show considerable variation in student reading skills. The home environment is strongly linked to reading skills, whereas school factors are not positively associated with reading skills. These findings suggest that policies and programs to support student reading skills are needed in rural China.

Parental migration, educational achievement, and mental health of junior high school students in rural China

China's rapid development has led to an unprecedented increase in migration rates as an ever-growing number of rural residents migrate to urban areas to seek better job opportunities and help alleviate family poverty. Economic pressures and structural restrictions force many of these migrant workers to leave their children behind in their rural homes, which has led to the emergence and expansion of a new subpopulation in China: left-behind children (LBCs). This study examines the impacts of parental migration on the educational outcomes (specifically math achievement) and mental health (specifically anxiety) of LBCs using data covering 7495 children in a prefecture of Shaanxi Province (from three surveys conducted between 2012 and 2014). We distinguish between “both parents migrating,” “one parent migrating,” “only a father migrating,” and “only a mother migrating.” We also explore the impacts on male versus female LBCs. We find no significant impact of parental migration on the math achievement of LBCs. In terms of mental health, however, our results indicate that left-behind girls were negatively affected by one parent migrating, especially if the migrating parent was the father. The findings suggest that it may not be necessary for policy makers to design special programs to improve educational outcomes of LBCs in general. However, local committees, schools, and parents should pay particular attention to left-behind girls living with only one parent, as they may be more vulnerable to mental health problems than their peers.

Can reading programs improve reading skills and academic performance in rural China?

In this paper, we attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of reading programs at improving the reading skills and academic achievement of primary school students in rural China. Using survey data on 4108 students, we find that students exhibited low levels of reading achievement, independent reading quantity, and reading confidence in the absence of any treatment. However, our results also suggest that properly designed treatments may improve the reading and academic outcomes of students. Specifically, we found that increased access to independent reading materials coupled with effective teacher training led to significant improvements in student reading skills, math test scores, and Chinese test scores. We believe that these improvements are due to changes in reading instruction and the attitudes of teachers toward reading. These findings indicate that encouraging higher reading quantity and providing high-quality reading instruction are important components for programs that seek to improve student outcomes in developing country settings.

Low prevalence of myopia among school children in rural China

BackgroundWe aim to assess the prevalence of myopia in Chinese school children with low educational pressure and explore which factors could explain the differences in prevalence between generations.MethodsA school-based epidemiologic study including 2432 grade 1 and 2346 grade 7 students was conducted from 2016 in rural areas of China. Each participant’s refractive status was measured before and after cycloplegia using an autorefractor and axial length (AL) was measured using an IOL Master. The questionnaires were completed by the parents or legal guardians of the children to collect detailed information regarding risk factors. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent less than − 0.50D.ResultsGrade 7 students had a higher prevalence of myopia (29.4% vs. 2.4%; P < 0.001) and high myopia (0.4% vs. 0.1%; P < 0.001) compared with grade 1 students. Grade 7 students also had longer ALs (23.50 mm vs. 23.37 mm; p = 0.004) after adjusting for the effect of gender, height and other myopia-related risk factors. Adjustment for time spent on reading and writing after school per day led to a reduction in the excess prevalence of myopia in grade 7 students by 15.1%. In addition, adjustment for time outdoors reduced the excess prevalence of myopia in grade 7 students by 33.4%.ConclusionsWe reported a relatively lower prevalence of myopia in school students in rural China, suggesting that Chinese may not have a genetic predisposition to myopia and environmental factors may play a major role in the development of school myopia in Chinese children.

Spectacles need and ownership among multiethnic students in rural China

ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to describe the prevalence and associated factors of spectacles need and ownership among multiethnic school students in rural China. Study designSchool-based cross-sectional study. MethodsThis school-based eye study was conducted in Yunnan province located in Southwestern China. Questionnaires were filled out by children with the help of their parents concerning demographic characteristics, spectacles usage, and myopia-related lifestyle exposures. Spectacles need was defined as participants who had an uncorrected visual acuity (VA) of less than 6/12 but could be corrected to more than 6/12 in the better-seeing eye, with myopia of less than −0.5 diopters (D), hyperopia of more than +2.0 D, or astigmatism of more than 0.75 D in both eyes. Definition of spectacles ownership was based on spectacles wearing at school on the examination day. ResultsAmong the 7681 students aged 5–16 years participating in this study, 7166 (93.3% of the study participants) successfully completed VA tests and questionnaires. The rate of spectacles need among children with an uncorrected VA of 6/12 or worse in either eye was 68.3% (623/912). Among the students who needed spectacles, only 18.9% owned them. Multivariate analyses revealed that spectacles ownership was significantly associated with increasing age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08–1.55), more time on reading and writing (OR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.15–2.40), having myopic friend(s) (OR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.01–3.56), self-awareness of myopia (OR: 6.67; 95% CI: 2.48–17.92), and poorer uncorrected VA (OR: 4.57; 95% CI: 2.78–7.52). ConclusionsWe observed a lower rate of spectacles ownership among rural children compared with those of similar ages in urban China. These findings may have important public health implications for China and other countries regarding vision-related health resources allocation.

Epidemiology of Reduced Visual Acuity among Chinese Multiethnic Students

Data regarding the epidemiology of reduced visual acuity (VA) among multiethnic children and adolescents in China are few. Understanding the vision-related health inequalities among different ethnic groups is crucial for health resource allocations and clinical managements for eye diseases. We aim to determine the prevalence, main causes, and health inequalities of reduced VA in multiethnic school students in rural China. A school-based eye survey including 7681 multiethnic school students aged 5 to 16 years in the southwestern part of China was conducted. Detailed ocular examinations including VA measurements, ocular motility evaluations, bilateral postcycloplegic refractions, and the assessments of the external eye, anterior segment, media, and retinal fundus were carried out by trained research vision professionals. Visual acuity was measured using a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution E-chart, and reduced VA was defined as a presenting VA of worse than 20/40. Concentration index was initiatively utilized to measure health inequalities among different ethnic groups. The prevalence of reduced VA was 11.4 per 100 children (95% confidence interval, 10.7 to 12.1%) based on the worse-seeing eye data. The prevalence of reduced VA increased with increasing age (P < .001 for trend) and was higher among girls compared with boys (P < .0001). Uncorrected refractive error was the principal cause for reduced VA, which accounted for 87.3% of the participants with reduced VA. The concentration index for reduced VA was 0.07 among different ethnic groups. Compared with the estimates reported from previous studies on Chinese children and adolescents, a relatively lower prevalence of reduced VA was observed among multiethnic school students in rural China. Ethnic variations and health inequalities of reduced VA were not significant in this study.

An Intervention to Reduce Bicycle Injuries among Middle School Students in Rural China.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce bicycle injuries among rural middle school students in China. A one-year cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted with seventh grade students from six middle schools in two towns in rural Chaoshan, China. The two towns were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Road safety education materials, two lectures on road safety, and a series of health education activities were delivered to 1312 students in the intervention group over one year, and the content of the intervention included traffic safety knowledge, methods of preventing bicycle injury and management of bicycle injuries. Questionnaires weere administered to the two groups before and after the intervention to measure the incidence, cognitions, and behaviors related to bicycle injuries. The pre-intervention incidence of bicycle injuries exhibited no significant difference between the two groups, while the difference reached significance after the intervention (χ2 = 13.409, p < 0.001). In the intervention group, the incidence decreased significantly after the intervention (χ2 = 8.137, p = 0.004), while no significant change was observed in the control group. Publicity and education intervention measures have certain short-term effects on the prevention of bicycle injuries among rural middle school students; we should approach intervention measures according to the characteristics of traffic injuries in different areas.

Effect of Parental Migration on the Academic Performance of Left‐behind Middle School Students in Rural China

AbstractChina's rapid development and urbanization over the past 30 years have caused large numbers of rural residents to migrate to urban areas in search of work. This has created a generation of children who remain behind in rural areas when their parents migrate for work. Previous research has found mixed impacts of parental migration on the educational achievement of left‐behind children (LBC), perhaps because of methodological deficiencies and lack of recognition of the heterogeneity of this population of children. Our study attempts to examine the impact of six types of parental migration on the academic achievement of a rural junior high school sample. Our study uses a panel of 7148 junior high school students to implement a difference‐in‐difference analysis and finds that parental migration has a negative and significant impact on the academic achievement of junior high school students. Our study suggests that the Chinese Government should implement measures to dismantle barriers to the human capital accumulation of LBC to ensure sustainable economic growth and human capital development in China.

Myopia among school students in rural China (Yunnan).

We described the prevalence and associated factors of myopia and high myopia in school children of different ethnicities in a rural community in Yunnan province, China. A total of 7681 (93.4%) primary and secondary school students aged 5-16 years in Mangshi participated in this study. Cycloplegic refraction was performed using an auto-refractor. Information regarding demographic factors, socioeconomic status and lifestyle-related exposures were collected using a questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the risk factors for myopia and high myopia. The overall prevalence of myopia and high myopia was 39.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 38.0, 40.2) and 0.6% (95% CI: 0.4, 0.8) in this study. Myopia prevalence increased significantly with increasing age (p for trend <0.001). Girls were more likely to have myopia compared with boys (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the presence of myopia was associated with increasing height (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.03), computer use (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.32), having myopic father (OR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.94), having myopic mother (OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.63), and increasing time on reading (OR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.28) after adjusting for age, sex and ethnicity. Nowadays myopia but not high myopia is prevalent among school children in rural China. Significant ethnic differences in myopia prevalence were not observed. A significant 'cohort effect' of myopia previously observed in urban cities had occurred in rural communities in China.