RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown the effects of parental migration on the psychological and daily life of left-behind children (LBC) of labor migrant parents, but the results on school-related problems of LBC remain inconsistent. Additionally, there is a dearth of research on the factors affecting school problems among LBC, especially in the socio-cultural context of Vietnam. The purpose of this study was to confirm the school problems encountered by LBC in comparison with non-left-behind children (non-LBC). The study also aimed to examine variables of bonding of caregivers with children and resilience of children affecting school problems of LBC. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: The convenient sampling approach was used in the study. The study sample included 792 Vietnamese school students (Mage = 12.65, SD = 1.60), with 439 children of labor migrant parents and a control group of 353 children of non-migrant parents. The School Problem Questionnaire, Parental Bonding Instrument and the Resilience Scale were employed in this study. RESULTS: There was no difference in school problems between the LBC and non-LBC groups. Resilience by goal planning (RGP), resilience by affect control (RAC), and resilience by family support (RFS) were identified as protective variables for children to overcome difficulties encountered in schools, with regression coefficients of -.21, -.33 and -.20, respectively. Meanwhile, bonding of caregivers with children by control (BCCo), and resilience by positive thinking (RPT) were found to be factors that increase school problems among LBC with the same regression coefficient of .12. CONCLUSIONS: Activities to support LBC should pay attention to improving resilience, namely affect control, goal planning, and promoting the role of caregivers for LBC.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: With the influence of Confucian culture, sex is often considered a taboo subject in Vietnam. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of exposure to sexually explicit Internet material (SEIM) among adolescents in Vietnam, as well as the factors affecting exposure to SEIM. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: The sample consisted of 886 Vietnamese adolescents (58.10% female) aged 15 to 18 years (M = 16.72, SD = 0.72). The survey was adapted from the study of Van Ouytsel, Ponnet and Walrave to assess the frequency of exposure to SEIM. Several measurement scales of factors affecting exposure to SEIM among adolescents were used including the Perceived Realism of SEIM, the Sexual Sensation Seeking Scale, the Family Cohesion and the Parental Monitoring Scale. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of exposure to SEIM was 84.10%, with a gender difference: 89.80% in males and 80.00% in females. The prevalence of passive exposure to SEIM was 58.30%, higher than 41.70% for active exposure. Perceived realism of SEIM, sexual sensation seeking and Internet usage time for entertainment are factors affecting frequencies of exposure to SEIM among adolescents, with ß coefficient values of .29, .18 and .16 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of children in this study reported SEIM exposure. Parents, schools and other stakeholders should pay attention to sex education for children early on, diversifying forms and subjects of sex education. The content of sex education should emphasize the responsibility in the decisions made by children related to sex.
