The Impact of Life Skills Training on Behavior Problems in Left-Behind Children in Rural China

A randomized controlled experimental pilot study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of life skills training on behavior problems in left-behind children (LBC) in rural China. The effectiveness determined by our study was based on a strictly designed intervention and strong support from the local school system. We suggest that further intervention study on the life skills training of LBC is necessary in order to effectively manage behavior problems in LBC in the schools of rural China.

Sixty-eight LBC were recruited from a middle school in rural China. The intervention group took a ten-week-long life skills training course. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher's Report Form (TRF) were used to evaluate the behavioral problems of the children at three separate intervals: Prior to the intervention, the first week following the intervention, and three months after the intervention.Children in the intervention group showed significant improvement both in the CBCL and the TRF compared to children in the control group. Significant improvements were found in the CBCL total scores, internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior and seven subscales scores. In TRF, similar significant improvements were found, except in internalizing behavior and the subscale of thought problems. The effect of intervention remained the same three months after the intervention. As a pilot study, the life skill training was found to be effective in improving behavior problems in the LBC in rural China, with the exception of thought problems.