How loneliness influences the city identity of Chinese migrant children: A moderated mediation model

Abstract

This study explored the mediating role of resilience and the moderating role of social class on the relationship between loneliness and migrant children’s city identity. The participants were 479 Chinese migrant children (females = 52%, mean age = 10.07 years, SD = 0.43 years) from Jiangsu Province. They completed a series of questionnaires, including the Children’s Loneliness Scale, the Resilience Scale, the Migrant Children’s City Identity Questionnaire and the Socioeconomic Status Index. Results from the moderated mediation analysis showed that Chinese migrant children self-reporting higher loneliness had a lower city identity. Resilience mediates the relationship between loneliness and city identity. Social class negatively moderates the influence of resilience on city identity. Compared to those with higher social class, migrant children with lower social class were more resilient in constructing their city identity. These findings might be helpful to social welfare programmes to support immigrant children in their city identity for better integration and adaptation.