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Effects of International Labour Migration on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Left-Behind Children: A Systematic Literature Review

Author

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  • Khatia Antia

    (Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany)

  • Johannes Boucsein

    (Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany)

  • Andreas Deckert

    (Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany)

  • Peter Dambach

    (Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany)

  • Justina Račaitė

    (Department of Public Health, Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio str. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania)

  • Genė Šurkienė

    (Department of Public Health, Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio str. 21, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania)

  • Thomas Jaenisch

    (Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany)

  • Olaf Horstick

    (Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany)

  • Volker Winkler

    (Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany)

Abstract

Labour migration is a challenge for the globalised world due to its long-term effects such as the formation of transnational families. These families, where family members of migrant workers are “left-behind”, are becoming a common phenomenon in many low- and middle-income countries. Our systematic literature review investigated the effects of international parental labour migration on the mental health and well-being of left-behind children. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we performed searches in PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar, resulting in 30 finally included studies. We found that mental health and well-being outcomes of left-behind children differed across and sometimes even within regions. However, only studies conducted in the Americas and South Asia observed purely negative effects. Overall, left-behind children show abnormal Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores and report higher levels of depression and loneliness than children who do not live in transnational families. Evidence from the studies suggests that gender of the migrant parent, culture and other transnational family characteristics contribute to the well-being and mental health of left-behind children. Further research utilising longitudinal data is needed to better understand the complex and lasting effects on left-behind children.

Suggested Citation

  • Khatia Antia & Johannes Boucsein & Andreas Deckert & Peter Dambach & Justina Račaitė & Genė Šurkienė & Thomas Jaenisch & Olaf Horstick & Volker Winkler, 2020. "Effects of International Labour Migration on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Left-Behind Children: A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:12:p:4335-:d:372743
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    8. Cebotari, Victor & Siegel, Melissa & Mazzucato, Valentina, 2016. "Migration and the education of children who stay behind in Moldova and Georgia," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 96-107.
    9. Hongwei Hu & Jiamin Gao & Haochen Jiang & Haixia Jiang & Shaoyun Guo & Kun Chen & Kaili Jin & Yingying Qi, 2018. "A Comparative Study of Behavior Problems among Left-Behind Children, Migrant Children and Local Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mingzhi Mao & Lijun Zang & Haifeng Zhang, 2020. "The Effects of Parental Absence on Children Development: Evidence from Left-Behind Children in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Ge, Yabo & Ding, Wan & Xie, Ruibo & Kayani, Sumaira & Li, Weijian, 2022. "The role of resilience and student-teacher relationship to parent-child separation-PTSS among left-behind children in China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    3. Justina Račaitė & Jutta Lindert & Khatia Antia & Volker Winkler & Rita Sketerskienė & Marija Jakubauskienė & Linda Wulkau & Genė Šurkienė, 2021. "Parent Emigration, Physical Health and Related Risk and Preventive Factors of Children Left Behind: A Systematic Review of Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-14, January.
    4. Fu, Yao & Jordan, Lucy P. & Zhou, Xiaochen & Chow, Cheng & Fang, Lue, 2023. "Longitudinal associations between parental migration and children's psychological well-being in Southeast Asia: The roles of caregivers' mental health and caregiving quality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    5. Yongfeng Ma & Chunhua Ma & Xiaoyu Lan, 2022. "Openness to Experience Moderates the Association of Warmth Profiles and Subjective Well-Being in Left-Behind and Non-Left-Behind Youth," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-16, March.
    6. Sergiu Bălțătescu & Tomasz Strózik & Kadri Soo & Dagmar Kutsar & Dorota Strózik & Claudia Bacter, 2023. "Subjective Well-being of Children Left Behind by Migrant Parents in Six European Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 1941-1969, October.
    7. Ruifeng Tan & Huimin Fang & Suiqing Chen, 2023. "The Development of Emotion Understanding among Five- and Six-Year-Old Left-Behind Children in Rural China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-10, February.
    8. Weigang Pan & Baixue Gao & Yihong Long & Yue Teng & Tong Yue, 2021. "Effect of Caregivers’ Parenting Styles on the Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Left-Behind Children: The Parallel Mediating Role of Self-Control," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-14, December.
    9. Nelsensius Klau Fauk & Alfonsa Liquory Seran & Paul Aylward & Lillian Mwanri & Paul Russell Ward, 2024. "Parental Migration and the Social and Mental Well-Being Challenges among Indonesian Left-Behind Children: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(6), pages 1-15, June.
    10. Ming Guan & Hongyi Guan, 2024. "Sense of community and residential well-being among rural-urban migrants in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.

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