title: Perceived positive teacher-student relationship as a protective factor for Chinese left-behind children's emotional and behavioural adjustment.
abstract: Using cross-sectional data collected in rural communities of two provinces of China, this study examined the protective role of perceived positive teacher-student relationship for Chinese left-behind children. The participants included 1442 children with a mean age of 14.13 classified into two groups: a left-behind group (104 boys and 110 girls) and a comparison group (588 boys and 640 girls). Self-reported questionnaires concerning self-esteem, depression, problem behaviours and the teacher-student relationship were administered. Relative to the comparison group, after controlling for age, gender and family socioeconomic status, the left-behind group was disadvantaged in terms of self-esteem and depression but not in problem behaviours. As hypothesised, the results of regression analyses indicated that teacher-student relationship positively predicted self-esteem and negatively predicted depression and problem behaviours for both groups. Moreover, the association between teacher-student relationship and depression was stronger among the left-behind group, suggesting that left-behind children were more responsive to the positive effect of a desired teacher-student relationship. Taken together, the results of our study support the idea that perceived positive teacher-student relationship may serve as a protective factor for left-behind children. Practical implications and limitations of the present study are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, China.|School of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, China.
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Social Developmental and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Social Developmental and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University, China.
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D065840:Protective Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Emotional and behavioural adjustment; Left-behind children; Protective factor; Teacher-student relationship