What Really Matters for Social Adaptation Among Left-Behind Children in China? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Compared with non-left-behind children, left-behind children in China have lower social adaptation and the
underlying reasons deserve further study. This systematic review and meta-analysis included 29 studies published
between 2006 and 2019. Protective factors of Left-behind children's social adaptation were resilience (r=0.574),
self-efficacy (r=0.538), emotional intelligence (r=0.421), self-esteem (r=0.404), positive coping (r=0.471),
attachment (r=0.354) and social support (r=0.338) while risky factors were loneliness (r=- 0.453) and social
anxiety(r=-0.360). Age, birthplace, father/mother migration and the frequency of parent-child communication also
have a certain impact on their social adaptation, but the effect size is relatively small. This study can provide some
enlightenment for intervention programs and policy adjustment. More empirical studies focusing on influencing
factors for social adaptation of left-behind children will be needed in the future.