Exploring School Belongingness Among Left-Behind Children in China
The Roles of Preference for Solitude, Academic Engagement, and Academic Stress
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22006753 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Zilong Yin (0009-0004-6708-7531, Jiangsu University, corresponding author), Yuhao Zhao (0000-0002-8702-1458, Jiangsu University), Yuanyuan Shi (0000-0003-0005-7106, Jiangsu University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | SAGE Open (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/21582440251406089 |
| OpenAlex | W7113910257 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 59 |
The loneliness and sense of belonging of left-behind children have garnered significant scholarly attention due to their socio-emotional significance. However, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between these constructs remain underexplored. Drawing on ecological systems theory, attachment theory, and self-determination theory, this study explored the relationship between a preference for solitude and school belongingness among left-behind children, as well as the influencing mechanisms of academic engagement and academic stress on this relationship. Using data collected from 1,289 left-behind children, our findings reveal that preference for solitude exerts a significant negative influence on school belongingness. Academic engagement partially mediates the relationship between preference for solitude and school belonging, indirectly enhancing the latter. Additionally, academic stress positively moderates the relationship between preference for solitude and academic engagement, while negatively moderating the relationship between academic engagement and school belongings. These results contribute to the theoretical understanding of the psychological and academic factors that influence left-behind children, offering practical implications for fostering positive behaviors, improving psychological well-being, and guiding equitable educational interventions. By elucidating these mechanisms, this study provides actionable insights for designing effective strategies to support the holistic development of children left behind
Belongingness · Loneliness · Preference · Solitude · Student engagement · UCLA Loneliness Scale · China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance · Cultural Differences and Values · Early Childhood Education and Development
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis
Motivation and Education
Chinese High School Students' Academic Stress and Depressive Symptoms
Depression and anxiety among left‐behind children in C hina
Interpersonal Relationships, Motivation, Engagement, and Achievement
Does it matter when we want to Be alone? Exploring developmental timing effects in the implications of unsociability
Belonging and Connection to School in Resettlement
Development and psychometric evaluation of the Personal Growth Initiative Scale–II.
Solitude as an Approach to Affective Self-Regulation
The Relationship of School Belonging and Friends' Values to Academic Motivation Among Urban Adolescent Students
The psychological sense of school membership among adolescents
Assessing the effects of gamification in the classroom
The Environment of Poverty
The Effects of Sense of Belonging, Social Support, Conflict, and Loneliness on Depression
Students' Need for Belonging in the School Community
School Connectedness and Problematic Internet Use in Adolescents
Adolescent Bullying Involvement and Perceived Family, Peer and School Relations
Student Perceptions of Academic Engagement and Student-Teacher Relationships in Problem-Based Learning
School Engagement
The interplay between teacher empathy, students’ sense of school belonging, and learning achievement
Evidence for Another Response to Ostracism
A Motivational Perspective on Engagement and Disaffection
The Mediating Role of Resilience and Self-Esteem Between Life Events and Coping Styles Among Rural Left-Behind Adolescents in China
Left-Behind Children, Parent-Child Communication and Psychological Resilience
Health-related quality of life of “left-behind children”
A Theoretical and Empirical Examination of Identity as Coping
Assessment and implications of social withdrawal in early childhood
Care drain
Well‐being of migrant and left‐behind children in C hina
Individual Differences in Preference for Solitude
Moderating Effects of Aggression on the Associations Between Social Withdrawal Subtypes and Peer Difficulties During Early Adolescence
Life Satisfaction and Student Engagement in Adolescents
Constructing children's psychological well‐being
Do You "Want" to Play? Distinguishing Between Conflicted Shyness and Social Disinterest in Early Childhood
School adaptation and adolescent immigrant mental health
How relationship satisfaction changes within and across romantic relationships
Back-Translation for Cross-Cultural Research
Migration and children's psychosocial development in China
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |