Depressive symptoms and school outcomes among children left behind by migrant fathers in Kosovo - do parental styles of caretakers back at home mediate the outcomes?
Depressive symptoms and school outcomes among children left behind by migrant fathers in Kosovo - do parental styles of caretakers back at home mediate the outcomes?

Summary/Abstract: Study explores mental health and school outcomes of CHLB (children left behind) by migrant parents by comparing them with peers from non-migrant families in Kosovo. The study attempts to explore the mitigation of various ecological proxies in outcome variables. The study aims to expand the knowledge on impact of the relationship with the immediate caretakers of CHLB impact on their mental health and school outcomes. University students were used as informants and found CHLB by migrant parent and control subjects. The sample had equal number of children with migrant and non-migrant parent (n=412). Data analysis compared the findings between the groups and analyzed the impact of independent variables on outcome variables for both groups using linear regression analysis. Results demonstrate that CHLB do not show differences in depression scores but show lower school success and school-related problems as a result of parental migration. Results indicate that depression scores among CHLB were predicted by remittance-sending regularity and that school success from frequency of communication with the migrant parent. Migration within the country was found to predict depression and school outcomes for both groups of adolescents. Study lacks random selection procedures and has limited generalizability. Proxies measured in the study have no objective cross-checks. Findings could be useful for school psychologists, health/social workers and teachers that work with these children. Regularity of remittance sending and frequent communication with migrant parent appear to act as protective factor in mental health and school outcomes of CHLB. Study tries to fulfil a gap in the literature by exploring the impact of parenting styles of the primary caretakers in mental health and school outcomes of CHLB.

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