Abstract
This study is the first to employ panel data to examine the time-varying effects of internal and international parental migration on the psychological well-being of children who stay behind in an African context. The analysis employs data collected in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from school going children aged 12-21 in two urban areas with high out-migration rates in Ghana - Kumasi and Sunyani. Using children's self-reports, an analysis was conducted separately for boys (N = 7 81) and girls (N = 7 05). Results indicate that girls and boys with the mother away internally or internationally are equally or more likely to have higher levels of psychological well-being when compared to boys and girls of non-migrant parents. A higher level of well-being is observed amongst girls when parents migrate and divorce. However, parental migration and divorce are more likely to increase the psychological vulnerability of boys. In Ghana, the psychological well-being of children is nuanced by which parent has migrated, marital status of migrant parent and the gender of the child.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 192-211 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies |
Volume | 49 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 14 May 2022 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2 Jan 2023 |
Keywords
- Parental migration
- Psychological well-being
- Transnational families
- Children left-behind
- Ghana
- LEFT-BEHIND CHILDREN
- MIGRANT PARENTS
- TRANSNATIONAL MIGRATION
- RURAL CHINA
- FAMILY-LIFE
- CHILDHOOD
- GENDER
- HEALTH
- FACE