Interpersonal Adaptation and Psychological Adjustment of Rural Left-behind Children--A Qualitative Study Based on the Perspectives of Supporting Teachers

Abstract Introduction: This study shall incorporate individual interviews to thoroughly explore the feasibility of constructing channels to care for left-behind children, in order to better understand the impact of changes in family structure on left-behind children's interpersonal adaptation and psychological adjustment. Methods Semi-structured individual interviews were performed to gather data from the interviewees. Finally, Nvivo12 software was adopted to organize and analyze the study data. Results The major study results can be summed up as follows: (1) the interpersonal adaptation of rural left-behind children is characterized by both generally pro-social tendencies and routinely perceived interpersonal alienation tendencies. (2) For left-behind children with interpersonal alienation tendencies, bullying by peers may be closely associated with the loss of parental reliance due to changes in family structure. (3) In rural areas, most of the left-behind children demonstrate a transition from loss to habit to comprehending their parents' work outside the home; further, the companionship of their peers is a critical factor in this transition. Conclusions In terms of the left-behind children with interpersonal maladaptation, interaction and communication with peers should be strengthened, and such children should be supported to actively participate in school practices and integrate into different groups. Similarly, schools and societies need to maximize their efforts to educate rural left-behind children regarding their mental health.