TY - JOUR PY - 2020// TI - Self-Reported Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Left-behind Children in Lithuania JO - Child indicators research A1 - Leskauskas, D. A1 - Adomaitienė, V. A1 - Šeškevičienė, G. A1 - Čėsnaitė, E. A1 - Šmigelskas, K. SP - 1203 EP - 1216 VL - 13 IS - 4 N2 - The migration makes an influence on children's mental health and behaviors. However, the majority of studies investigate the families and people in migration rather than left-behind groups in their home countries.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the possible impact of parents' migration on emotional and behavioral problems of their left-behind children. The study comprised 10-19-year-old adolescents from five urban secondary schools (n = 1292). The cross-sectional study was conducted in Kaunas city (Lithuania). Main measures were self-reported scales - Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) as well as items on subjective perceptions and feelings towards the change of relationship with a missing parent due to migration or divorce.

FINDINGS show that left-behind children report more risky behaviors and emotional problems, they tend more to feel unloved (OR = 2.34, p < 0.05), longing for missing parent (OR = 4.72, p < 0.05), contemplating suicide or self-injuring behavior (OR = 3.92, p < 0.05). Emotional and behavioral problems are more prevalent among 15-19-year-old male adolescents (OR = 1.71, p < 0.05). The left-behind children report more emotional and behavioral problems compared to the children from divorced families. The findings suggest that parental migration has specific negative effects on left-behind children's emotional state and behaviors. © 2019, Springer Nature B.V.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1874-897X UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12187-019-09689-5 ID - ref1 ER -