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Exploring the Impact of Parental Absence on the Mental Health of Left-behind Children in China
- 1 Southwest University
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
With the acceleration of urbanisation in China, the number of left-behind children has surged, and their mental health problems have become a social issue of great concern. Based on parenting care theory, attachment theory, emotion regulation theory, and psychological capital theory, this paper deeply discusses the theoretical mechanisms of left-behind children's psychological and behavioral problems. It conducts a case study of the Handan left-behind children's bullying incident and Deer Dawson's suicide incident. It is found that left-behind children generally face problems such as insufficient parenting care, insecure attachment relationships, weak emotional regulation ability, and low levels of psychological capital due to long-term parental absence. These problems lead to a significant increase in their emotional disorders, behavioral problems, and mental health risks. This paper proposes intervention strategies at three levels—national policy, educational institutions, and individual emotional growth—to establish a scientific framework for mental health interventions for left-behind children and to foster their overall well-being.
Keywords
left-behind children, mental health, attachment theory, emotion regulation theory, psychological capital theory
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Cite this article
Cai,S. (2025). Exploring the Impact of Parental Absence on the Mental Health of Left-behind Children in China. Advances in Social Behavior Research,16(2),50-54.
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