ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo evaluate whether the junior high school students reared by their grandparents in 0～3 years old have more emotional and behavioral problems than their counterparts who reared by birth parents since birth. MethodsThis study was carried out to compare emotional and behavioral outcomes,using Youth Self-Report(YSR) between junior high school students reared by their grandparents in 0～3 years old and junior high school students reared by birth parents since their birth. ResultsTwo-sample test showed that the study group had significantly higher raw scores of the YSR sub-scale of somatic complaint[(2.93±2.83) vs (2.00±2.35),t=2.08,P＜0.05],social problems[(3.56±2.20) vs (2.42±1.99),t=3.15,P＜0.01],thought problems[(3.29±3.26) vs (2.16±2.29),t=2.30,P＜0.05],delinquency [(2.77±2.33) vs 2.01±1.60),t=2.19,P＜0.05] ,aggression[(7.89±6.32) vs 5.96±4.66),t=2.01,P＜0.05],externalizing problems [(10.67±8.07) vs (7.97±5.61),t=2.19,P＜0.05]and total problems [(42.64±22.76) vs (33.61±19.25),t=2.47,P＜0.05]than the comparison group. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to control the effects of live events stress. The following analyses showed that the two groups showed no significant difference except for social problems (P＜0.05). ConclusionMany factors that affect mental health of the junior high school students. There is a significant differences in the social problems between the junior high school students reared by grandparents from infancy to the toddler stage and their counterparts. The grandparents should pay more attention to help their grandchildren developing social skills in their babyhood.