Chunkai Li

Effects of multi-dimensional social capital on mental health of children in poverty: An empirical study in Mainland China:

Using the data of 1314 underprivileged children in Xiushui, China, this study adopted an ecological framework to explore how social capital embedded in family, peer, school, and community interplay and affect the mental health of poor children. Structural equation modeling was employed to verify the hypothesized model. The results demonstrated that higher levels of family, peer, and school social capital were all associated with better mental health outcomes of children in poverty. Moreover, family, peer, and school social capital fully mediated the effect of community social capital on children’s mental health. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

Effects of multidimensional child poverty on children’s mental health in Mainland China:

This study aimed to investigate the effects of multidimensional child poverty on children’s mental health in Mainland China. The data were based on a survey of children in 2015 conducted by multi-stage cluster random sampling method in Xiushui, where levels of poverty are very high. Structural equation model was adopted to analyze the data and test the hypothesized model. Results showed that multidimensional child poverty had a significant effect on both negative mental health and positive mental health of children, and the seven indicators of multidimensional child poverty all had slightly different effects on children’s mental health.

The mediating effect of self-esteem on the relationship of living environment, anxiety, and depression of underprivileged children: A path analysis in Chinese context

This study aimed to explore the relationships of living environment, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression of children in poverty. A sample of 1314 children (grades 4–9) was collected by a school-based survey in Xiushui city, Mainland China. Structural equation modeling was adopted to analyze the data and verify the hypothesized model. Results showed that living environment was negatively correlated with poor children’s anxiety and depression levels, and self-esteem had a mediating effect on the relationship between living environment and the mental health of underprivileged children. Based on these findings, we proposed relevant theoretical and practical implications.

Exploring the impact of marital relationship on the mental health of children: Does parent-child relationship matter?

This study aimed to examine the associations between marital relationships and parent–child relationships on children’s mental health. Participants included 19,487 students from the 2013–2014 baseline China Education Panel Survey. Structural equation modeling was applied to analyze the data and results revealed that marital and parent–child relationships positively affected children’s mental health. Parent–child relationship also played a mediating role between marital relationship and children’s mental health. The unique contributions of this study and its theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

Family social capital mediates the effect of poverty on children's anxiety and depression

This study aims to examine how family social capital mediates the relationship between poverty and childrens anxiety and depression in mainland China. Data were collected with multistage cluster random sampling method in Xiushui City in mainland China. The sample comprised 1,314 school-aged children (Grades 4-9). Data included childrens basic demographics, internalizing symptoms, and parenting process. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized model. The results demonstrated a good fit for the sample. The overall model explained 12.7% and 16.1% of the variance for childrens anxiety and depression, respectively. Poverty had a significantly direct effect on childrens anxiety and depression, and family social capital could partially mediate the influence of poverty on childrens internalizing symptoms. Family social capital plays an important mediating role between poverty and childrens mental health. Our findings provide strong evidence for social work intervention. Family social capital is essential for parent-child interactions, especially in underprivileged families.

The mediating effect of neighbor relationship between community social support and elderly’s subjective well-being in China

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between community social support, neighbor relationship, and the subjective well-being of the elderly in China. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized model based on a sample of 2732 senior adults from 2010 Chinese General Social Survey. Results showed that community social support could indirectly affect the subjective well-being of the elderly through the complete mediating effect of neighbor relationship, although there was no significant correlation between community social support and the elderly’s subjective well-being. Implications for theory, social work, and social policy were discussed.