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Subjective Social Mobility among Migrant Children in China

Author

Listed:
  • Wei Lu

    (Department of Social Work, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China)

  • Nian Liu

    (Department of Sociology, School of Public Administration, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Juan Chen

    (Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China)

Abstract

Little scholarly attention has been paid to the relationship between children’s subjective social mobility and their “social ecology”. Children’s subjective social mobility is about how they perceive their future social position compared to their parents’. Social ecology refers to the influential multi-layered surrounding factors, including family, school, and community. We analyzed data from structured questionnaires completed by 2221 migrant children (1296 boys and 925 girls, with a mean age of 11.7 years) from three private schools in Guangzhou and Foshan, China. The findings indicate that participants anticipated a significant improvement in their future social status. Of the factors influencing this belief, community integration has the most significant impact ( TE = 0.246), followed by school integration ( TE = 0.220) and family socioeconomic status ( TE = 0.053). We also found that children’s self-concept plays a role in their perceptions of social mobility. Based on the study results, we propose recommendations to provide migrant children additional protection and enhance their living environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Wei Lu & Nian Liu & Juan Chen, 2022. "Subjective Social Mobility among Migrant Children in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:9:p:5685-:d:810232
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Clancy Blair & Douglas A. Granger & Michael Willoughby & Roger Mills-Koonce & Martha Cox & Mark T. Greenberg & Katie T. Kivlighan & Christine K. Fortunato & FLP Investigators, 2011. "Salivary Cortisol Mediates Effects of Poverty and Parenting on Executive Functions in Early Childhood," Working Papers 2011-019, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    2. Alexander S. Browman & Mesmin Destin & Melissa S. Kearney & Phillip B. Levine, 2019. "How economic inequality shapes mobility expectations and behaviour in disadvantaged youth," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 3(3), pages 214-220, March.
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