Food Insecurity and School Performance among the Left-Behind Children in Rural China: Depression and Educational Expectation as Mediators

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  • Author(s): Zhang, Lufa; Yang, Fan (ORCID Yang, Fan (ORCID 0000-0002-6748-9766)
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    School Psychology International. Oct 2019 40(5):510-524.
  • Publication Date:
    2019
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Reports - Research
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://sagepub.com
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      15
    • Education Level:
      Elementary Education
      Secondary Education
      Junior High Schools
      Middle Schools
    • Subject Terms:
      Food; Hunger; Security (Psychology); Depression (Psychology); Academic Achievement; Rating Scales; Correlation; Foreign Countries; Case Studies; Rural Areas; Migrants; Parent Child Relationship; Intervention; Program Design; Educational Environment; Elementary School Students; Mental Health; Risk; Urbanization; Middle School Students; Student Attitudes; Academic Aspiration; Measures (Individuals)
    • Subject Terms:
      China
    • Accession Number:
      10.1177/0143034319869048
    • ISSN:
      0143-0343
    • Abstract:
      The present study aims to explore the associations between food insecurity and school performance, and the serial mediation of depression and educational expectation on the focal association, among Chinese rural left-behind children. This study conducted a cross-sectional survey on 2128 students (Grades 5-9, mean age = 13.21 years) who reported one or both parents had migrated into the urban sector. They responded to questions on school performance, educational expectation, The Food Insecurity Experience Scale, and The Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale. Serial mediation modelling was used to test the mediating role of depression and educational expectation. It is found that food insecurity was significantly associated with school performance. Moreover, depression and educational expectation functioned as serial mediators and were fully mediating the association between food insecurity and school performance. The findings as with the severity of childhood food insecurity in rural China as well as its association with the negative consequences in children's education provide empirical support for contentions that food insecurity problem should be taken into account in designing and implementing school-based intervention programs for left-behind children. Moreover, schools shall pay special attention to the mental health risks of food insecurity among rural left-behind children.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2019
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1227231