This study aimed to examine changes in quality of life (QOL) among left-behind children (LBC) and to compare them with those of non-LBC in the city of Shaoxing, China. Using stratified and cluster sampling, 83 LBC and 119 non-LBC completed 3 consecutive years of follow-up investigation. Repeated measures of analysis of variance were performed to assess and compare the change in QOL between LBC and non-LBC. There were significant differences in the changes in the total score of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 ( F = 5.164, P = .006, partial η 2 = 0.025), emotional function ( F = 7.622, P = .001, partial η 2 = 0.025, P = .037), and school function ( F = 5.145, P = .006, partial η 2 = 0.025) between LBC and non-LBC. Non-LBC showed gradual increases in the total score of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 ( P < .001), physical health ( P = .001), and social function ( P < .001), whereas LBC exhibited improved physical health ( P = .039) but declining emotional function ( P < .001). According to sex, no significant differences in QOL were observed between left-behind boys and non-left-behind boys. However, left-behind girls demonstrated declines in emotional ( P < .001) and school function ( P = .040), whereas non-left-behind girls remained stable, resulting in significant between-group differences ( F = 4.958, P = .008, partial η 2 = 0.043; F = 4.253, P = .015, partial η 2 = 0.037). The data indicate that being left behind significantly compromised children’s QOL. While non-LBC exhibited an upward trend in QOL, their left-behind counterparts showed stagnation or even decline.
Xu et al. (Fri,) studied this question.