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Acculturation, Economic Stress, Social Relationships and School Satisfaction Among Migrant Children in Urban China

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Abstract

Rural to urban migration has become a prominent phenomenon in China. In linking migration to children’s school trajectories, this mixed-methods study explored a range of cultural and contextual factors that contribute to Chinese children’s school wellbeing in the migratory process. The key variables included acculturative attitudes, economic stress, and relationships with family, teachers and peers. The study drew upon survey data from a sample of 301 Chinese migrant students (4th–9th grade) together with in-depth interviews involving ten selected students focusing on how migrant children’s school happiness and productivity are influenced by acculturation, economic hardship, and social relationships. The quantitative analysis indicated the critical role of integrative states in promoting school satisfaction and achievement. Migrant children with better social relations scored higher levels of hope, which in turn contributed to better school outcomes. Contrary to previous findings, economic stress did not hinder school outcomes for these Chinese migrant children, but appeared to act as a positive motivational factor for pursing academic success. The qualitative analysis echoed the quantitative findings, and provided further explanations for the complexity and particularity of these phenomena.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Advancement in Inclusive and Special Education, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China

    Lue Fang, Rachel C. F. Sun & Mantak Yuen

Authors
  1. Lue Fang
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  2. Rachel C. F. Sun
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Correspondence to Mantak Yuen.

Appendix

Appendix

1.1 Details of Interviewees

Pseudonyms

Age

Gender

Grade

SES

Ethnicity

Sch wellbeing

Li Ming

15

Male

8

Low

Han Majority

High

Yu Qiang

16

Male

8

Low

Han Majority

High

Long Mei

14

Female

7

Low

Miao Minority

High

Zhou Mi

15

Female

5

High

Tujia Minority

High

Luo Wen

13

Female

6

High

Han Majority

High

Ran Li

16

Male

9

High

Tujia Minority

Low

Wang Rong

16

Female

9

Medium

Gelao Minority

Low

Li Qing

15

Male

8

High

Han Majority

Low

Liu Yu

15

Male

6

Low

Han Majoirty

Low

Zhang Ling

13

Female

5

Medium

Tujia Minority

Low

1.2 Sample Instruments

***School satisfaction

I look forward to going to school

I like being in school

School is interesting

I wish I didn’t have to go to school

***Academic achievement

My mid-term Grades for English_______Chinese_______Mathematics____________

 

***Current and future economic worries

In the past year, has your family have financial difficulty in purchasing school related supplies for you?

In the coming year, will you worry about whether financial situation of the family could support your study?

***Acculturation scale for chinese migrant children

Integration

 1. I can understand and speak dialects of both the city and hometown

 2. I have friends and relatives in both the city and hometown

 3. I spend time with friends from both city and hometown

Assimilation

 1. I am better at speaking dialect of the city than hometown dialect

 2. I have more close friends and relatives in the city

 3. Most of my friends and schoolmates are from the city

Separation

 1. I am more comfortable speaking the dialect of my hometown

 2. I have more close friends and relatives in my hometown

 3. I prefer hanging out with friends from my hometown

Marginalization

 1. I feel I neither belong to the city nor hometown

 2. I am not happy either in the city or hometown

 3. I dislike the surroundings of the city or hometown

***Relationship with family

I like spending time with my parents

My parents and I do fun things together

There is a feeling of togetherness in our family

Family members really back each other up

***Relationship with teachers

When we encounter personal problems (e.g. family, or friendship problems), teacher can offer advice and help

Teachers have not acquired adequate skill and knowledge to help us solve personal problems

My teacher is accepting our background

We are able to ask for assistance without fear of rejection or embarrassment

***Relationship with peers

My friends give me the moral support I need

My friends enjoy hearing about what I think

I rely on my friends for emotional support

If there’s a disagreement, my friends and I try hard to smooth things over

***Self-Esteem

I feel that I am a person of worth, at least on a equal plane with others

I feel that I have a number of good qualities

I certainly feel useless at times

At times, I think I am no good at all

***Hope

I think I am doing pretty well

I can think of many ways to get the things in life that are most important to me

I think the things I have done in the past will help me in the future

Even when others want to quit, I know that I can find ways to solve the problem

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Fang, L., Sun, R.C.F. & Yuen, M. Acculturation, Economic Stress, Social Relationships and School Satisfaction Among Migrant Children in Urban China. J Happiness Stud 17, 507–531 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9604-6

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