Development and Validation of the Polymedia Compensation Scale for Left-Behind Children in Migrant Families

Left-behind children (LBC) in China, whose parents migrate to urban areas for employment, face unique challenges in maintaining parent–child relationships. This study investigates how LBC utilise polymedia to compensate for physical parental absence and examines its association with parent–child attachment. Through exploratory factor analysis of data collected from 549 LBC in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, we developed a Polymedia Compensation Scale comprising three dimensions: parental accessibility, parental engagement and perceived consolation. The scale structure was subsequently validated using a separate sample (N = 563), demonstrating robust psychometric properties. Analysis revealed that polymedia compensation experiences were significantly higher among younger LBC, LBC with migrant mothers and LBC reporting secure parent–child attachment. These findings contribute to our understanding of how digital communication technologies mediate parent–child relationships in the context of internal migration.