Depressive Symptoms in Emerging Adults with Early Left-Behind Experiences in Rural China

Abstract

The current study aimed to compare depressive symptoms in emerging adults with early left-behind experiences (LB-A) and their counterparts (non-LB-A) in China. Of importance, guided by a risk and resilience ecological framework, we examined the potential interactive roles of peer support, parent support, and personal characteristics (i.e., grit) on depressive symptoms. A total of 458 LB-A and 1,656 non-LB-A participants were involved in the study. The findings showed that the LB-A group perceived higher levels of depressive symptoms than the non-LB-A group. Moreover, in the context of higher levels of peer support, grit was found to buffer depressive symptoms for the LB-A group.

Keywords:

• Depressive symptoms
• emerging adult
• grit
• parent support
• peer support

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Xiaoyu Lan

Xiaoyu Lan is a doctoral student in Developmental Psychology. His research interests focus on how migration and cultural differences influence human development, as well as the protective role of grit in unfavorable populations.

Wenchao Wang

Wenchao Wang is a doctoral student at the Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, China. His research interests include psychological trauma of victims following disasters, as well as mental health of adolescents. He has published over 20 papers in international and domestic journals.

Rendy Radin

Rendy Radin is an undergraduate student in Sociology at the University of Padova. His research interests involve acculturation and psychosocial adjustment in emerging adults.