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The Urbanization Paradox: Parental Absence and Child Development in China - an Empirical Analysis Based on the China Family Panel Studies Survey

Author

Listed:
  • Lijun Chen

    (Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago)

  • Di Qi

    (Hohai University)

  • Dali Yang

    (The University of Chicago)

Abstract

This study zeroes in on the issue of left-behind children and draws on data from the China Family Panel Studies surveys to examine the impacts of parental absence on child development in psychological, physical and cognitive domains. The indicators of child well-being selected include child physical health measured by their likelihood of being sick, psychological wellbeing measured by reported happiness scores, and children’s cognitive abilities measured by their performance in word and math tests. Parental absence was differentiated as both parents absent, father absent, mother absent and both parents present. The results confirm the importance of parental guardianship and care for child healthy development in all domains. Policy findings and implications are discussed and summarized at the end of the paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Lijun Chen & Di Qi & Dali Yang, 2020. "The Urbanization Paradox: Parental Absence and Child Development in China - an Empirical Analysis Based on the China Family Panel Studies Survey," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 13(2), pages 593-608, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:13:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s12187-019-09697-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-019-09697-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Liu, Z. & Li, X. & Ge, X., 2009. "Left too early: The effects of age at separation from parents on Chinese rural children's symptoms of anxiety and depression," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 99(11), pages 2049-2054.
    2. Cynthia Osborne & Lawrence Berger & Katherine Magnuson, 2012. "Family Structure Transitions and Changes in Maternal Resources and Well-being," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(1), pages 23-47, February.
    3. Francisca M. Antman, 2011. "International Migration and Gender Discrimination among Children Left Behind," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(3), pages 645-649, May.
    4. Linda Waite, 1995. "Does marriage matter?," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 32(4), pages 483-507, November.
    5. Sara Mclanahan, 2004. "Diverging destinies: How children are faring under the second demographic transition," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 41(4), pages 607-627, November.
    6. Minhui Zhou & Rachel Murphy & Ran Tao, 2014. "Effects of Parents' Migration on the Education of Children Left Behind in Rural China," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 40(2), pages 273-292, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shuang Yang, 2021. "The Long-Run Effects of Early Childhood Education and Care—An Empirical Analysis Based on the China Family Panel Studies Survey," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(5), pages 2021-2044, October.
    2. Yeqing Huang & Huihui Gong, 2022. "Educational Expectations of Left-behind Children in China: Determinants and Gender Differences," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(5), pages 2501-2523, October.
    3. Yei-Whei Lin & Chien-Hsiu Lin & Chih-Nan Chen, 2023. "Opportunities for Happiness and Its Determinants Among Children in China: A Study of Three Waves of the China Family Panel Studies Survey," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(2), pages 551-579, April.

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