Background
Method
Participants
Variables | LBC | NLBC | all | P |
---|---|---|---|---|
(n = 1471) | (n = 2716) | (n = 4187) | ||
Sex, n(%) | ||||
boys | 765(52.7) | 1463 (54.3) | 2228 (53.2) | 0.312 |
girls | 687 (47.3) | 1230 (45.7) | 1917 (45.8) | |
Age (years) mean (SD) a | ||||
3–16 years | 8.46 (3.50) | 8.52 (3.66) | 8.50 (3.60) | 0.611 |
3–6 years | 5.04 (1.12) | 4.87 (1.17) | 4.93 (1.16) | |
7–9 years | 8.41 (0.84) | 8.36 (0.82) | 8.38 (0.82) | |
10–16 years | 12.70 (1.88) | 12.78 (1.86) | 12.75 (1.87) | |
Place of residence, n(%) | ||||
ural | 1276 (86.7) | 1503 (55.3) | 2779 (66.4) | < 0.001 |
urban | 195 (13.3) | 1213 (44.7) | 1408 (33.6) | |
Only child, n(%) | ||||
yes | 309 (21.0) | 1274 (46.9) | 1583 (37.8) | < 0.001 |
no | 1162 (79.0) | 1442 (53.1) | 2604 (62.2) | |
Father’s educational level, n(%) | ||||
primary school or below | 185 (12.7) | 111 (4.2) | 296 (7.1) | < 0.001 |
middle school | 833 (57.4) | 908 (34.1) | 1741 (41.6) | |
high school | 303 (20.9) | 889 (33.4) | 1192 (28.5) | |
junior college or bachelor | 125 (8.6) | 707 (26.5) | 832 (19.9) | |
master or higher | 5 (0.3) | 49 (1.8) | 54 (1.3) | |
Mother’s educational level, n(%) | ||||
primary school or below | 210 (14.8) | 193 (7.2) | 403 (9.6) | < 0.001 |
middle school | 876 (61.7) | 966 (36.2) | 1842 (44.0) | |
high school | 237 (16.7) | 847 (31.7) | 1084 (25.9) | |
junior college or bachelor | 94 (6.6) | 635 (23.8) | 729 (17.4) | |
master or higher | 3 (0.2) | 27 (1.0) | 30 (0.7) | |
Marital status, n(%) | ||||
spinsterhood | 9 (0.6) | 17 (0.6) | 26 (0.6) | 0.081 |
married | 1369 (95.1) | 2581 (96.6) | 3950 (94.3) | |
divorced | 29 (2.0) | 40 (1.5) | 69 (1.6) | |
widowed | 17 (1.2) | 16 (0.6) | 33 (0.8) | |
remarried | 16 (1.1) | 17 (0.6) | 33 (0.8) | |
Monthly income (RMB), n(%) | ||||
< 2000 | 375 (26.2) | 307 (11.5) | 682 (16.3) | < 0.001 |
2000–5000 | 698 (48.8) | 1131 (42.4) | 1829 (43.7) | |
5001–8000 | 160 (11.2) | 696 (26.1) | 856 (20.4) | |
8001–12,000 | 45 (3.1) | 219 (8.2) | 264 (6.3) | |
> 12,000 | 17 (1.2) | 102 (3.8) | 119 (2.8) | |
unknown | 134 (9.4) | 215 (8.1) | 349 (8.3) |
Sample size calculation
Recruitment procedures
Measures
Statistical analysis
Results
Demographic characteristics of LBC and NLBC
Mental health problems in LBC and NLBC according to age groups
Scores of SDQ subscales | LBC | NLBC | P1 | P2 |
---|---|---|---|---|
3–16 years | n = 1444 | n = 2683 | ||
Total difficulties score | 12.87 (6.01) | 12.26 (6.05) | 0.011 | 0.907 |
Emotional symptoms | 2.79 (2.14) | 2.55 (2.19) | 0.001 | 0.482 |
Conduct problems | 2.47 (1.99) | 2.45 (1.92) | 0.862 | 0.257 |
Hyperactivity-inattention | 4.12 (2.11) | 3.96 (1.99) | 0.015 | 0.620 |
Peer problems | 3.50 (1.65) | 3.31 (1.65) | < 0.001 | 0.809 |
Prosocial behaviours | 5.99 (2.29) | 6.17 (2.11) | 0.002 | 0.443 |
3–6 years | n = 568 | n = 1050 | ||
Total difficulties score | 13.66 (5.91) | 12.64 (5.70) | < 0.001 | 0.924 |
emotional symptoms | 3.01 (2.12) | 2.65 (2.10) | 0.001 | 0.827 |
conduct problems | 2.50 (1.96) | 2.44 (1.82) | 0.548 | 0.181 |
hyperactivity-inattention | 4.58 (2.08) | 4.37 (1.90) | 0.052 | 0.834 |
peer problems | 3.58 (1.69) | 3.17 (1.64) | < 0.001 | 0.246 |
prosocial behaviours | 5.45 (2.35) | 5.85 (1.99) | < 0.001 | 0.141 |
7–9 years | n = 414 | n = 707 | ||
Total difficulties score | 12.39 (5.84) | 11.98 (5.92) | 0.256 | 0.495 |
Emotional symptoms | 2.66 (2.10) | 2.42 (2.17) | 0.071 | 0.768 |
Conduct problems | 2.32 (1.99) | 2.28 (1.90) | 0.773 | 0.506 |
Hyperactivity-inattention | 4.07 (2.09) | 4.09 (1.94) | 0.019 | 0.166 |
Peer problems | 3.34 (1.57) | 3.18 (1.64) | 0.108 | 0.716 |
Prosocial behaviours | 6.26 (2.23) | 6.17 (2.10) | 0.511 | 0.280 |
10–16 years | n = 462 | n = 926 | ||
Total difficulties score | 12.32 (6.20) | 12.06 (6.52) | 0.335 | 0.753 |
Emotional symptoms | 2.61 (2.18) | 2.53 (2.32) | 0.504 | 0.790 |
Conduct problems | 2.55 (2.02) | 2.60 (2.03) | 0.709 | 0.879 |
Hyperactivity-inattention | 3.61 (2.05) | 3.38 (1.97) | 0.038 | 0.115 |
Peer problems | 3.53 (1.66) | 3.56 (1.63) | 0.773 | 0.378 |
Prosocial behaviours | 6.42 (2.15) | 6.54 (2.19) | 0.488 | 0.474 |
Multiple comparison of mental health problems between LBC and NLBC in rural and urban areas
Rural | P1 | Urban | P2 | P3 | P4 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LBC | NLBC | LBC | NLBC | |||||
3–16 years | n = 1276 | n = 1503 | n = 195 | n = 1213 | ||||
Total difficulties score | 12.97 (5.91) | 12.75 (6.05) | 0.690 | 12.17 (6.59) | 11.66 (6.01) | 0.852 | 0.003 | 0.003 |
Emotional symptoms | 2.80 (2.11) | 2.72 (2.18) | 0.613 | 2.67 (2.37) | 2.32 (2.19) | 0.110 | 0.853 | 0.006 |
Conduct problems | 2.46 (1.95) | 2.53 (1.93) | 0.112 | 2.52 (2.19) | 2.36 (1.90) | 0.962 | 0.405 | 0.616 |
Hyperactivity-inattention | 4.17 (2.11) | 4.05 (2.06) | 0.542 | 3.76 (2.08) | 3.83 (1.88) | 0.387 | 0.155 | 0.130 |
Peer problems | 3.54 (1.63) | 3.44(1.66) | 0.731 | 3.22 (1.71) | 3.14 (1.61) | 0.583 | 0.104 | 0.039 |
Prosocial behaviours | 5.86 (2.28) | 6.20 (2.16) | 0.007 | 6.85 (2.19) | 6.15 (2.04) | < 0.001 | 0.251 | 0.026 |
3–6 years | ||||||||
Total difficulties score | 13.90 (5.82) | 13.57 (5.55) | 0.788 | 11.77 (6.32) | 11.56 (5.68) | 0.697 | 0.101 | < 0.001 |
Emotional symptoms | 3.09 (2.08) | 2.94 (2.09) | 0.559 | 2.38 (2.37) | 2.31 (2.05) | 0.683 | 0.081 | < 0.001 |
Conduct problems | 2.53 (1.94) | 2.66 (1.80) | 0.213 | 2.31 (2.13) | 2.18 (1.81) | 0.945 | 0.396 | 0.004 |
Hyperactivity-inattention | 4.64 (2.11) | 4.60 (1.89) | 0.872 | 4.05 (1.75) | 4.10 (1.89) | 0.546 | 0.150 | 0.002 |
Peer problems | 3.65 (1.69) | 3.36 (1.70) | 0.170 | 3.03 (1.60) | 2.96 (1.55) | 0.804 | 0.405 | 0.013 |
Prosocial behaviours | 5.33 (2.37) | 5.72 (2.06) | 0.030 | 6.36 (1.96) | 6.00 (1.90) | 0.116 | 0.091 | 0.657 |
7–9 years | ||||||||
Total difficulties score | 12.35 (5.73) | 12.79 (5.73) | 0.061 | 12.63 (6.57) | 11.05 (6.00) | 0.105 | 0.220 | 0.027 |
Emotional symptoms | 2.65 (2.09) | 2.66 (2.10) | 0.267 | 2.77 (2.18) | 2.15 (2.21) | 0.029 | 0.163 | 0.081 |
Conduct problems | 2.26 (1.92) | 2.40 (1.91) | 0.050 | 2.67 (2.38) | 2.15 (1.90) | 0.065 | 0.130 | 0.843 |
Hyperactivity-inattention | 4.08 (2.07) | 4.33 (2.02) | 0.111 | 4.02 (2.26) | 3.82 (1.80) | 0.898 | 0.649 | 0.005 |
Peer problems | 3.36 (1.55) | 3.40 (1.67) | 0.410 | 3.18 (1.72) | 2.92 (1.58) | 0.506 | 0.862 | 0.042 |
Prosocial behaviours | 6.08 (2.19) | 6.12 (2.11) | 0.698 | 7.33 (2.17) | 6.23 (2.10) | 0.002 | 0.003 | 0.418 |
10–16 years | ||||||||
Total difficulties score | 12.40 (6.08) | 11.93 (6.66) | 0.534 | 11.82 (6.87) | 12.26 (6.23) | 0.476 | 0.378 | 0.181 |
Emotional symptoms | 2.59 (2.12) | 2.57 (2.31) | 0.727 | 2.75 (2.49) | 2.47 (2.33) | 0.257 | 0.262 | 0.933 |
Conduct problems | 2.57 (2.01) | 2.49 (2.08) | 0.603 | 2.47 (2.05) | 2.76 (1.95) | 0.120 | 0.168 | 0.042 |
Hyperactivity-inattention | 3.67 (2.02) | 3.30 (2.04) | 0.030 | 3.29 (2.19) | 3.49 (1.87) | 0.213 | 0.105 | 0.048 |
Peer problems | 3.57 (1.63) | 3.58 (1.61) | 0.642 | 3.31 (1.78) | 3.54 (1.66) | 0.297 | 0.285 | 0.781 |
Prosocial behaviours | 6.33 (2.11) | 6.74 (2.19) | 0.025 | 6.91 (2.36) | 6.24 (2.14) | 0.001 | 0.107 | < 0.001 |
Influence factors of mental health problems in rural and urban LBC
Total difficulties score | Prosocial behaviours | Emotional symptoms | conduct problems | hyperactivity-inattention | Peer problems | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
rural | urban | rural | urban | rural | urban | rural | urban | rural | urban | rural | urban | |||||||||||||
3–6 years | 0.156*** | −0.262*** | −0.211 | 0.137*** | 0.250*** | |||||||||||||||||||
7–9 years | 0.012 | −0.085* | 0.253* | 0.022 | 0.108** | |||||||||||||||||||
Sex (ref: boys) | −0.074* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Only child (ref: yes) | 0.102** | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Monthly income (ref: < 2000 yuan) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2000–4999 yuan | 0.109** | −0.265 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
5000 7999 yuan | 0.070 | − 0.192 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
8000–12,000 yuan | 0.012 | −0.439** | ||||||||||||||||||||||
> 12,000 yuan | 0.046 | −0.294** | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Father’s educational level (ref: primary school or below) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
middle school | −0.095 | −0.451 | 0.103* | 0.537* | −0.127** | −0.481 | −0.496 | −0.116* | −0.125* | |||||||||||||||
high school | −0.140** | −0.592* | 0.087 | 0.516* | −0.088 | −0.549* | −0.605* | −0.143** | −0.107* | |||||||||||||||
college or bachelor | −0.018 | −0.488 | −0.027 | 0.674* | −0.065 | −0.524 | −0.520 | −0.031 | −0.010 | |||||||||||||||
Mother’s educational level (ref: primary school or below) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
middle school | 0.085 | 0.134** | 0.079 | −1.244*** | ||||||||||||||||||||
high school | 0.154** | 0.163*** | 0.135** | −1.121*** | ||||||||||||||||||||
college or bachelor | −0.023 | 0.000 | −0.019 | −0.940** | ||||||||||||||||||||
Age at separation (ref: 0–3 years) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
3–6 years | −0.188 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
6–10 years | −0.283* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
older than 10 years | 0.300* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Duration of parent absence (ref: half a year) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
less than 1 year | −0.017 | −0.111* | 0.045 | −0.016 | 0.029 | 0.239 | −0.069 | −0.061 | 0.042 | 0.041 | ||||||||||||||
1–2 years | −0.003 | −0.112* | 0.006 | 0.051 | 0.019 | 0.104 | −0.057 | −0.121 | −0.14 | 0.232 | ||||||||||||||
2–3 years | −0.136** | −0.009 | 0.015 | −0.091 | −0.141** | −0.011 | −0.151*** | −0.109 | −0.083 | 0.281* | ||||||||||||||
more than 3 years | −0.237*** | −0.063 | 0.283* | −0.205*** | −0.212*** | −0.050 | −0.189*** | −0.335** | −0.131* | −0.137 | ||||||||||||||
Communication frequency (ref: everyday) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1–2 times a week | 0.129** | −0.074 | 0.060 | 0.113** | −0.117 | 0.163*** | 0.040 | 0.130 | ||||||||||||||||
1–2 times a month | 0.077 | −0.155*** | 0.008 | 0.075 | 0.070 | 0.081 | 0.070 | 0.267* | ||||||||||||||||
1–2 times half a year | 0.085* | −0.171*** | 0.049 | 0.076* | −0.300** | 0.054 | 0.088* | 0.092 | ||||||||||||||||
1–2 times a year | 0.208*** | −0.237*** | 0.124*** | 0.202*** | 0.147 | 0.111 | 0.171*** | 0.110 | ||||||||||||||||
Duration of talk per time (ref: less than 10 min) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10–20 min | −0.039 | −0.635*** | 0.090 | 0.018 | −0.128** | −0.729*** | −0.712*** | 0.002 | ||||||||||||||||
20–40 min | 0.087 | −0.385** | 0.096 | 0.110* | −0.028 | −0.541*** | −0.453** | 0.108* | ||||||||||||||||
one hour | 0.090* | −0.189 | 0.003 | 0.101* | 0.050 | −0.426** | 0.343** | 0.122** | ||||||||||||||||
more than one hour | 0.154*** | −0.295* | 0.295* | 0.188*** | 0.117** | −0.370** | −0.276* | 0.125** | ||||||||||||||||
Visit frequency (ref: every weekend) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
every month | 0.075 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1–2 times half a year | 0.004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1–2 times a year | −0.010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
less than once a year | 0.096* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Migrant worker (ref: both) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Father absent | 0.116*** | 0.089* | 0.078* | 0.132*** | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mother absent | 0.038 | 0.028 | 0.077* | 0.058 |