Family Functioning, Attitude Towards Parents’ Overseas Employment, Wellbeing, and Career Aspirations of Left Behind Children of Overseas Filipino Workers

This study investigates the mediating role of family functioning in the relationship between Filipino college students’ attitudes toward parental overseas employment and two key outcomes: psychological well-being and aspirations to pursue overseas work. Anchored in Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, Family Systems Theory, and the Theory of Planned Behavior, the research addresses a notable gap in the literature by quantitatively exploring the experiences of an underexamined group—emerging adult students raised in transnational households. Utilizing data from 105 left-behind children (LBC) of Overseas Filipino Workers, the study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the proposed mediation model. Results reveal that favorable perceptions of parental migration are positively associated with enhanced family functioning, elevated well-being, and increased career aspirations abroad. Family functioning emerged as a significant partial mediator, underscoring its pivotal role in shaping emotional resilience and future-oriented motivation among LBCs. The findings suggest that despite the physical absence of parents, many students demonstrate robust well-being and adaptive career goals, reflecting a form of transnational resilience. These insights contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how family dynamics within transnational contexts shape youth development and mobility aspirations. Furthermore, the study offers practical implications for policy and intervention design, particularly in addressing the psychosocial dimensions of labor migration and mitigating long-term brain drain by fostering supportive family environments.