Interplay of Left-Behind Status and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Social Acceptance and Rejection Dynamics in Rural China

Abstract

This study explores how left-behind status and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) interact to shape peer acceptance and rejection among primary school children in rural China. While prior research has examined these groups separately, little is known about their intersection within peer dynamics. This study drew on sociometric data from 579 students across 17 classes in seven rural schools. It used the Social Inclusion Survey (SIS) to measure peer acceptance and rejection in both academic and play contexts. A two-way between-groups ANOVA revealed that children with SEND experienced lower peer acceptance and higher rejection than their non-SEND peers. In contrast, left-behind children showed higher acceptance and lower rejection than their non-left-behind classmates, challenging dominant deficit-based assumptions. Notably, left-behind children with SEND were more accepted than non-left-behind children with SEND, suggesting that left-behind status may buffer against some of the peer-related disadvantages associated with SEND. These findings emphasise that social identities do not consistently exacerbate disadvantage; rather, their impacts depend on context and interaction. The study argues against simplistic, risk-focused narratives and highlights the necessity of accounting for broader social and cultural dynamics in developing inclusive education policies and interventions.