Research On Child Neglect Situation And Influential Factors Of Left-behind Children And Living-with-parents Children In Rural Areas Of Two Provinces, Western China

Objective: To investigate the situation and the influential factors of child neglect between left-behind children and living-with-parents children in the rural areas in western China and provide a scientific basis for the prevention of child neglect.Methods: 1. Objects selected.(1) Survey on the neglect status of 0~6 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children from rural areas: by using multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling, 1488 respondent were sampled from 3 cities in Shaanxi Province and 3 districts of Chongqing City, including 862 left-behind children and 626 living-with-parents children from rural areas.(2) Survey on the neglect status of 6~17 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children from rural areas: by using multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling, 4131 respondents were sampled from 3 cities in Shaanxi Province and 4 districts(counties) of Chongqing City, including 2145 left-behind children and 1986 living-with-parents children from rural areas.2. Survey methods.(1) Survey on the neglect status of 0~6 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children from rural areas: by using the scales and evaluations methods made in “Neglect Evaluation Norms for Chinese Rural Children”, “Questionnaire for neglect status of 0~2 years old Chinese rural children” and “Questionnaire for neglect status of 3~6 years old Chinese rural children” were filled for 0~2 years children and 3~6 children respectively. The questionnaires were filled by the children’s parents(guardians) under the guidance of professional investigators.(2) Survey on the neglect status of 6~17 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children from rural areas: by using the questionnaires made by the research group of “Development of Neglect Evaluation Norms for Primary and Secondary School Students in Rural Areas in China and Study on Their Neglect Factors”, the students at different age groups(6~8, 9~11, 12~17) filled different questionnaires. The questionnaires were filled by the respondents themselves onsite. The questionnaires for 6~8 years old children were filled by their guardians directly, and the questionnaires for 9~17 years old children were filled by the students themselves.3. Methods for neglect evaluation: according to internationally recognized neglect classification, the scales included the contents of 6 neglect level, i.e., health, emotion, medical care, education, safety and society [1]. The scores at each level and all levels were calculated respectively. If a child’s scores at a level exceed the critical value(P90) of this level, then it indicates that such child is neglected at this level. The larger the score is, the more serious the neglect will be. Therefore, a child shall be deemed as being neglected as long as he/she is neglected at any of the 6 levels. Neglect rate was calculated on the basis of neglect scores and neglect population. Neglect rate= Population of children neglected/Population of children surveyed ×100%, which indicates the neglect frequency of children(the maximum value is 100%). Neglect degree = Neglect scores of children obtained/Total neglect scores ×100, which indicates the extent to which children are neglected(the maximum value is 100%) [2].Results: 1. Survey on the neglect status of 0~6 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children from rural areas:(1) The overall neglect degree and neglect rate of left-behind children(49.29±6.53, 37.24%) were both higher than that of living-with-parents children(47.00±6.35, 23.80%). This difference has statistical significance(U=﹣6.76, χ2=30.30, P<0.001). After grouping them based on their age, the neglect degrees of 0 ~ 2 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children were 48.59±6.33 and 45.77±5.94 respectively; the neglect degrees of 3 ~ 6 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children were 49.86±6.64 and 48.13±6.51 respectively. The neglect degrees of the left-behind children at the two age groups were both higher than that of living-with-parents children at the two age groups. This difference has statistical significance(U=﹣5.95,﹣3.64, P<0.001). For 0~2 years old group, the neglect rate of left-behind children was 39.33%, and the neglect rate of living-with-parents children was 18.54%. For 3~6 years old group, the neglect rate of left-behind children was 35.52%, and the neglect rate of living-with-parents children was 28.70%. In both age groups, the neglect rates of left-behind children were both higher than that of living-with-parents children. This difference has statistical significance(χ2=34.85, 4.05, P<0.05).(2) The difference between different genders of left-behind children in terms of neglect degrees and neglect rates has no statistical significance(U=0.92, χ2=0.12, P>0.05). The neglect degree of left-behind children in Chongqing was higher than that of left-behind children in Shaanxi. This difference has statistical significance(U= ﹣ 6.50, P < 0.001), but the difference between the neglect rates of the two has no statistical significance(χ2=2.89, P>0.05). The difference between the neglect degrees and neglect rates of left-behind children from only child families and non-only child families has no statistical significance(U=1.23, χ2=0.26, P>0.05). The difference between the neglect degrees and neglect rates of left-behind children from different family types has statistical significance(F=3.84, χ2=8.16, P<0.05).(3) Factors affecting neglect of left-behind children: compared with children from nuclear families, children from single parent families and remarried families were more prone to being neglected, with the OR values of 4.35 and 3,32 respectively. Factors affecting neglect of living-with-parents children: compared with 0~2 years old children, 3~6 years old children were more prone to being neglected, with the OR value of 1.97. Compared with children from nuclear families, children from families with three generations were less prone to being neglected, with the OR value of 0.65.2. Survey on the neglect status of 6~17 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children from rural areas:(1) The overall neglect degree and neglect rate of left-behind children(51.41±9.51, 61.65%) were both higher than that of living-with-parents children(48.56±9.61, 49.10%). This difference has statistical significance(U=8.08,χ2=55.79, P<0.001). After grouping them based on their age, the neglect degrees of 6 ~ 8 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children were 48.82±9.23 and 45.72±7.93 respectively; the neglect degrees of 9 ~ 11 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children were 50.96±10.36 and 45.65±11.05 respectively; the neglect degrees of 12~17 years old left-behind children and living-with-parents children were 52.51±9.04 and 51.03±9.03 respectively. The neglect degrees of the left-behind children at the three age groups were all higher than that of living-with-parents children at the three age groups. This difference has statistical significance(U=4.38, 5.76, 3.34, P<0.01). For 6~8 years old group, the neglect rate of left-behind children was 55.99%, and the neglect rate of living-with-parents children was 36.56%. For 9~11 years old group, the neglect rate of left-behind children was 67.31%, and the neglect rate of living-with-parents children was 51.85%. For 12~17 years old group, the neglect rate of left-behind children was 60.64%, and the neglect rate of living-with-parents children was 53.57%. In the three age groups, the neglect rates of left-behind children were all higher than that of living-with-parents children. This difference has statistical significance(χ2=25.71, 20.86, 9.96, P<0.01).(2) The difference between different genders of left-behind children in neglect degrees has no statistical significance(U=0.88, P>0.05), but the difference in neglect rates has statistical significance(χ2=4.26, P<0.05). The difference between left-behind children from different regions in terms of neglect degrees and neglect rates has statistical significance(U=5.19,χ2=57.13, P<0.001); the difference between left-behind children of different ethnic groups in terms of neglect degrees and neglect rates has statistical significance(U=﹣3.47,χ2=21.02, P<0.01). The neglect rates and neglect degrees of left-behind children from non-only child families were both higher than that of left-behind children from only child families(U=﹣2.03,χ2=5.02, P<0.05), and the difference between the neglect degrees and neglect rates of left-behind children from different family types has statistical significance(F=5.73,χ2=21.94, P<0.001).(3) Factors affecting neglect of left-behind children: compared with boys who come from nuclear families and whose parents’ income reduces within 1 year, girls whose parents’ income doesn’t reduce within 1 year and who come from families with three generations as well as single parent families were less prone to being neglected, with the OR of 0.66, 0.71, 0.72, 0.43 respectively, and the P value were all <0.05. Compared with Han nationality children who come from only child families and who have a room at home, children of other ethnic groups and who are from non-only child families and who don’t have a room at home were more prone to being neglected, with the OR of 1.83, 1.36, 1.44 respectively, and the P value were all <0.05. Compared with children whose fathers’ educational backgrounds are primary school or illiteracy, children whose fathers’ educational background are junior middle school, senior high school, technical secondary school, junior college and above were less prone to being neglected, with the OR of 0.65, 0.48, 0.23 respectively, and the P value were all <0.05. Compared with children who get on well with their parents and whose parents get on well with each other, children who fail to get on well with their parents and whose parents fail to get on well with each other were more prone to being neglected, with the OR of 1.63~3.66, and the P value were all <0.05. Factors affecting neglect of living-with-parents children: compared with children whose parents change job within 1 year and whose parents’ income reduces within 1 year, children whose parents don’t change job within 1 year and whose parents’ income doesn’t reduce within 1 year were less prone to being neglected, with OR of 0.71, 0.74, and the P value were all <0.05. Compared with Han nationality children who come from only child families and nuclear families, children of other ethnic groups and who are from non-only child families and remarried families were more prone to being neglected, with the OR of 1.47, 1.48, 3.78 respectively. Compared with children whose fathers’ educational backgrounds are primary school or illiteracy, children whose fathers’ educational background are junior middle school, senior high school or technical secondary school were less prone to being neglected, with the OR of 0.68 and 0.51 respectively. Compared with children who get on well with their parents and whose parents get on well with each other, children who fail to get on well with their parents and whose parents fail to get on well with each other were more prone to being neglected, with the OR of 1.55~8.05.Conclusion:1. The 0~6 year old left-behind children from rural areas in two provinces(municipalities) in west China are seriously neglected, with their neglect degrees and neglect rates both higher than that of living-with-parents children. There is no difference between different genders of left-behind children in terms of neglect degrees and neglect rates; and the neglect degrees and neglect rates of left-behind children from different regions and different family types are different. Ages affects whether living-with-parents children are neglected, and family type is an important factor that affects the neglect of left-behind children and living-with-parents children.2. The neglect degrees and neglect rates of 6~17 year old left-behind children from rural areas in two provinces(municipalities) in west China were higher than that of living-with-parents children, and higher than that of other Chinese rural children at the same age group. Their neglect status is serious. There is no difference between different genders of left-behind children in terms of neglect degree, but their neglect rates are different. There is difference between neglect degrees and neglect rates of left-behind children from different regions, ethnic groups and family types. The factors influencing whether left-behind children are neglected include gender, nation, being only-child or not, the educational level of their fathers, whether they have a separate room, family types, whether the income of their parents reduced in one year, the relationship between children and parents, the relationship between their parents; The factors influencing whether living-with-parents children are neglected include nation, being only-child or not, the educational level of their fathers, family types, whether they have a separate room, whether the work places of their parents changed in one year, whether the income of their parents reduced in one year, the relationship between children and parents, the relationship between their parents.