Negative life events and aggression among Chinese rural left-behind adolescents: do self-esteem and resilience mediate the relationship?

Background: Left-behind adolescents (LBAs) are adolescents aged 11-18 years who are separated from their parents and left behind in local cities by one or both parents for a period of more than 6 months. LBAs in rural areas are likely to engage in aggressive behavior, which can affect interpersonal relationships, reduce academic performance, and even lead to anxiety and depression. To our knowledge, no studies have examined the mediating effect of resilience and self-esteem on the relationship between negative life events and aggression among Chinese rural LBAs.

The Mediating Role of Resilience and Self-Esteem Between Life Events and Coping Styles Among Rural Left-Behind Adolescents in China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aims to explore the association between life events and coping styles, and how resilience and self-esteem mediate the association. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 981 left-behind adolescents (LBAs) in five junior high schools in Hunan Province, China, from April 13 to April 20, 2020. We utilized self-designed sociodemographic questionnaire, Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist, Resilience Scale Chinese Adolescent, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire to assess the mental health of LBAs.