Effects of Multidimensional Social Exclusion on Child Well-Being: An Examination of Migration Paradox in Chinese Children

Although associations between social exclusion and child well-being were previously identified, how they varied by migration status remained unclear. The present study aims to extend prior research by examining the “migration paradox” in a sample of Chinese children. Data were collected in Kunming, China, using a multi-stage cluster random sampling. The sample consisted of 1322 Chinese children (36.6% migrants) aged 8–17 years old (M = 11.80 years; SD = 1.56). Structural equation modeling (SEM) with multi-group analysis was adopted to examine the mediating effect of socio-relational exclusion between structural-economic exclusion and child well-being, and the moderating effect of migration status. The results revealed that structural-economic exclusion increased socio-relational exclusion, which in turn, negatively related to child well-being. Multi-group SEM indicated that the effects of structural-economic exclusion and socio-relational exclusion were stronger for urban local children than for migrant children. These findings underscored the importance of reducing social exclusion among children in social work interventions and social policies.