The Effect of Social Interaction on Rural Children’s Self-identity: an Empirical Study Based on Survey Data from Jintang County, China

Fan Yang (), Zhaowei Wang (), Jinhua Liu () and Suhua Tang ()
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Fan Yang: Southwestern University of Finance and Economics
Zhaowei Wang: Southwestern University of Finance and Economics
Jinhua Liu: Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences
Suhua Tang: Lancaster University

Child Indicators Research, 2022, vol. 15, issue 3, No 8, 839-861

Abstract: Abstract Social interaction has irreplaceable significance for children’s development. As the main content of rural children’s social interaction, good parent-child interaction, child-friend interaction, and child-teacher interaction have positive effects on rural children’s self-identity individually and as a whole. The positive influence of social interaction plays an indirect role by enhancing the intimacy between children and those who interact with them. In view of the great significance of family to children’s growth, there is no significant difference in the positive effect of parent-child interaction on the self-identity of left-behind and non-left-behind children. Compared with non-left-behind children, the development of left-behind children’s self-identity is more positively affected by child-friend interaction. Strengthened interaction with friends offsets to a certain extent the negative influence of the insufficient parent-child interaction due to their parents’ migration for work. In sum, peer groups may have more influence on the development of left-behind children in rural areas. From the perspective of social interaction, in order to promote the mental health development of rural children, we should bring the supportive role of social interaction and relationship networks into full play to promote the social interaction of rural children and boost their mental health and emotional development, and provide more care for rural left-behind children by strengthening their ties with friends.

Keywords: Rural children; Self-identity; Social interaction; Intimacy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1007/s12187-021-09887-0

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