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Parental Migration and Early Childhood Development in Rural China

Author

Listed:
  • Ai Yue

    (Shaanxi Normal University)

  • Yu Bai

    (Minzu University of China)

  • Yaojiang Shi

    (Shaanxi Normal University)

  • Renfu Luo

    (Peking University)

  • Scott Rozelle

    (Stanford University)

  • Alexis Medina

    (Stanford University)

  • Sean Sylvia

    (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Abstract

Nearly one-quarter of all children under age 2 in China are left behind in the countryside as parents migrate to urban areas for work. We use a four-wave longitudinal survey following young children from 6 to 30 months of age to provide first evidence on the effects of parental migration on development, health, and nutritional outcomes in the critical first stages of life. We find that maternal migration has a negative effect on cognitive development: migration before children reach 12 months of age reduces cognitive development by 0.3 standard deviations at age 2. Possible mechanisms include reduced dietary diversity and engagement in stimulating activities, both known to be causally associated with skill development in early life. We find no effects on other dimensions of physical and social-emotional health.

Suggested Citation

  • Ai Yue & Yu Bai & Yaojiang Shi & Renfu Luo & Scott Rozelle & Alexis Medina & Sean Sylvia, 2020. "Parental Migration and Early Childhood Development in Rural China," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(2), pages 403-422, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:57:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s13524-019-00849-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-019-00849-4
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    5. Jipeng Zhang & Lue Zhan & Chong Lu, 2020. "The long-run effects of poverty alleviation resettlement on child development: Evidence from a quasi-experiment in China," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(10), pages 245-284.
    6. Zhong, Jingdong & Kuhn, Lena & Wang, Tianyi & Liu, Chengfang & Luo, Renfu, 2020. "The interrelationships between parental migration, home environment, and early child development in rural China: A cross-sectional study," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 17(11).
    7. Bart Cockx & Jinkai Li & Erga Luo, 2023. "The Long-Term Impact of Parental Migration on the Health of Young Left-Behind Children," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2023019, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    8. Zhi Cao & Arthur Lewbel & Wenchao Li & Junjian Yi, 2024. "Collective Behavior with Information Asymmetry," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 1070, Boston College Department of Economics, revised 31 Aug 2024.
    9. Sylvia, Sean & Luo, Renfu & Zhong, Jingdong & Dill, Sarah-Eve & Medina, Alexis & Rozelle, Scott, 2022. "Passive versus active service delivery: Comparing the effects of two parenting interventions on early cognitive development in rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
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    13. Yunwei Chen & Sean Sylvia & Sarah-Eve Dill & Scott Rozelle, 2022. "Structural Determinants of Child Health in Rural China: The Challenge of Creating Health Equity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-12, October.
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    16. Hou, Wen-Peng & Tan, Tony Xing & Wen, Yu-Jie & Wang, Xue-Qi & Li, Xian-Bin & Wang, Chuan-Yue, 2020. "The effect of increased family finance and dual-parental absence since infancy on Children's cognitive Abilities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    17. Qiu, Hui & Liang, Xiao & Sun, Dan, 2024. "Parental migration, sibling migration, and the educational outcomes of children left behind in rural China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    18. Guo, Su & Guan, Shanshan & Yan, Xiaoqian, 2021. "Effects of early learning environment on early childhood development in rural areas in China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    19. Kriti Vikram, 2023. "Timing and Frequency of Fathers’ Migration and Nutritional Status of Left-Behind Children in India: A Life Course Approach," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(1), pages 1-29, February.
    20. Wang, Haining & Cheng, Zhiming & Zhe Wang, Ben & Chen, Yuanyuan, 2021. "Childhood left-behind experience and labour market outcomes in China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 196-207.
    21. Jing Zhang & Simon Appleton & Lina Song & Bing Liu, 2021. "Who Looks after the Kids? The Effects of Childcare Choice on Early Childhood Development in China," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 83(3), pages 619-640, June.
    22. Bai, Yu & Yang, Ning & Wang, Lei & Zhang, Siqi, 2022. "The impacts of maternal migration on the cognitive development of preschool-aged children left behind in rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).

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