TITLE:
The Psychological Well-Being among Left-Behind Children of Labor Migrant Parents in Rural Northern Vietnam
AUTHORS:
Nguyen Van Luot, Nguyen Ba Dat
KEYWORDS:
Psychological Well-Being/Mental Health, “Left behind Children”, Migrant Parents
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.5 No.6,
June
20,
2017
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.