The rapid and uneven economic development in China has led to large-scale rural to urban migration, which in turn has resulted in many children being left in their hometowns by their parents as they seek work. This study investigated the effects of this on the ‘left-behind children’ examining their educational attainment, social situation, and psychological impacts. It found that left-behind children are likely to report negative emotions and that these are linked to lower levels of educational attainment. A percentage of left-behind children also reported positive emotional states and good educational achievement, contradicting the results of previous studies. The paper finally offers three recommendations to help assist the children’s development and educational achievement.

Nan Hu. Left-behind Children and Educational Attainment in China: A Study of Ma San County School. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2022) Vol. 5, Issue 19: 80-89. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2022.051915.

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