Academic resilience of Chinese rural left-behind adolescents: a multisystemic perspective

Abstract

This study explores the academic resilience of Chinese “left-behind” adolescents from a multisystemic perspective. It investigates the role and interaction among students’ self-system and various external systems—migrant parents, local caregivers, class teachers, teachers providing boarding services, and peers—in helping them cope with academic difficulties and challenges. Qualitative data were collected from thirty junior high school students through nine focus-group interviews. Three dimensions of academic resilience were examined: (1) coping with negative emotions; (2) academic help-seeking; and (3) internal learning qualities. The findings reveal that left-behind children primarily rely on emotional self-regulation and peer support to manage negative emotions arising from academic difficulties. Additionally, students mainly seek academic help from peers, class teachers, teachers providing boarding services, and online resources. Academic involvement and emotional support from migrant parents and local caregivers are limited mainly due to their physical absence, low educational attainment, or intergenerational gap. However, parents might invite other capable family members to provide prompt academic support to their kids. The study further identifies an indirect pathway of influence where left-behind students’ understanding of their parents’ migration and hard work fosters their internal learning qualities such as perseverance and educational aspirations in the face of academic difficulties. These insights underscore the need for holistic educational policies that integrate emotional and social support systems, improve communication between children and migrant parents, and enhance training for local caregivers and teachers.