Rural – Best Evidence in Brief Index

By Winnie Tam, Centre for University and School Partnership, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Research findings show that visual impairment is linked to mental health issues like depression and anxiety among children, especially when refractive errors go uncorrected. A recent study published in Scientific Reports by Pang and colleagues explored the relationship between visual impairment, academic performance, and mental health among junior high school students in rural China.

The study involved a random sample of 19,425 seventh and eighth grade students from 124 schools in rural China. Researchers collected data on students’ visual acuity, eyeglasses use, academic performance (measured by a standardized math test), and mental health (assessed using the SDQ) in late 2019.

Key findings showed that 37% of the students had visual impairment, 57% of whom did not wear glasses. About 9% of all the students were at high risk for mental health problems based on SDQ scores. Students with visual impairment who did not wear glasses were more likely to experience mental health issues than those who did, and those who wore glasses had fewer mental health concerns than students with normal vision. In addition, wearing eyeglasses boosted students’ aspirations for higher education, regardless of academic performance.

The study highlights the importance of providing eyeglasses to visually-impaired students to support their mental well-being. It suggests that interventions and policies should focus on supplying eyeglasses to enhance students’ overall well-being in low-income rural settings. More on vision and school-based vision remediation may be found in earlier issues of BEIB.

By Winnie Tam, Centre for University and School Partnership, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Children in rural China, compared to their urban counterparts, face greater risks of anxiety, depression, and other psychosocial issues. Those left behind when their parents migrate for work are especially vulnerable. Cultivating social-emotional competence (SEC) has been shown to promote resilience and protect against these challenges. Fu and colleagues conducted a quasi-experimental study investigating the impact of a school-based social emotional learning program on 5th graders (mean age = 11 years) in Chongqing. The Positive Growth curriculum, based on the CASEL framework by the Rici Foundation, focused on four components of SEL: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship skills.

The study involved two rural schools (n=648) receiving an eight-session intervention from March to June 2022, delivered by trained school teachers using manuals, a textbook, materials for activities, and videos of the adapted curriculum. Two matched schools that served as the control group (n=599) followed the regular curriculum including didactic moral lessons. Students self-reported SEC using the Chinese version of the Washoe County School District Social and Emotional Competency Assessments (WCSD-SECAs) before and after the intervention. The difference in SEC scores between pre- and post-intervention was used to assess the impact of the program. The results are listed below.

• The treatment group outperformed the control group in overall SEC (ES=+0.21), self-awareness (ES=+0.34), social awareness (ES=+0.25), and relationship skills (ES = +0.19). No significant differences emerged for self-management or responsible decision making.

• The program benefited boys overall SEC but not girls.

• Children of work-away parents showed significant gains in overall SEC, but children with non-migrating parents did not.

This preliminary study demonstrated that adapting an evidence-based Western SEC framework may yield positive outcomes for rural Chinese students, especially those left behind by migrant parents. As the authors acknowledge, the brief intervention period may not capture skills cultivated over the long term. Future studies are required to examine long-term outcomes from lengthier interventions.