Effect of parenting centers on caregiver mental health ——Evidence from a large scale randomized controlled trial in rural China

IF 5.2 1区 经济学 Q1 ECONOMICS
Ai Yue, Qiannan Song, Yuan Gao, Shibin Liang, Xinyue Zhang, Yali Zhang, Yuxiu Ding, Yaojiang Shi
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Abstract

In the context of economic development, the escalating prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress poses substantial challenges, not only impacting individuals' physical and mental well-being but also exerting a profound influence on future human capital. This study conducts an exploratory analysis of the effects of a center-based early childhood development intervention on the mental health of the caregivers, utilizing data from a cluster randomized controlled trial involving 1652 caregivers in rural China. Over the course of two years, caregivers and children in 50 villages received individualized parenting training, one-on-one parenting classes, and access to open play spaces in village parenting centers. Our findings reveal sustained and significant intervention effects on caregivers' anxiety and stress symptoms. The primary mechanisms driving these effects include increased parenting time investment, alterations in parenting styles, and changes in the level of trust in others. Furthermore, our research demonstrates that the positive treatment effects on mental health outcomes are more pronounced among caregivers of children who initially lower development skills. The intervention exhibits a stronger impact on caregivers with lower educational attainment, particularly when the caregivers are grandmothers. These results underscore the importance of governmental attention to mental health issues in rural China, suggesting avenues for intervention through the provision of parenting knowledge and spaces facilitating caregiver-child interactions. This research contributes valuable insights into addressing mental health challenges in rural settings, promoting effective strategies for future policy implementation.

父母中心对照顾者心理健康的影响--来自中国农村大规模随机对照试验的证据
在经济发展的背景下,抑郁症、焦虑症和压力症的发病率不断攀升,不仅影响个人的身心健康,还对未来的人力资本产生深远影响,这给我们带来了巨大的挑战。本研究利用中国农村地区 1652 名保育员参与的群组随机对照试验数据,对基于中心的幼儿发展干预对保育员心理健康的影响进行了探索性分析。在为期两年的时间里,50 个村庄的保育员和儿童接受了个性化的育儿培训、一对一的育儿课程,并在村里的育儿中心获得了开放的游戏空间。我们的研究结果显示,干预措施对照顾者的焦虑和压力症状产生了持续而显著的影响。产生这些效果的主要机制包括:育儿时间投入的增加、育儿方式的改变以及对他人信任程度的变化。此外,我们的研究表明,对心理健康结果的积极治疗效果在最初发育技能较低的儿童的照顾者中更为明显。干预措施对教育程度较低的照顾者的影响更大,尤其是当照顾者是祖母时。这些结果强调了政府关注中国农村地区心理健康问题的重要性,并提出了通过提供育儿知识和促进照顾者与儿童互动的空间进行干预的途径。这项研究为应对农村地区的心理健康挑战提供了宝贵的见解,为未来政策的实施提供了有效的策略。
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来源期刊
中国经济评论
中国经济评论 ECONOMICS-
CiteScore
10.60
自引率
4.40%
发文量
380
期刊介绍: The China Economic Review publishes original works of scholarship which add to the knowledge of the economy of China and to economies as a discipline. We seek, in particular, papers dealing with policy, performance and institutional change. Empirical papers normally use a formal model, a data set, and standard statistical techniques. Submissions are subjected to double-blind peer review.
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