Effects of structural-economic and socio-relational exclusion on well-being of Chinese migrant children

Social exclusion is a widely accepted risk factor for child well-being, but relatively little is known about its dynamics and effect on multiple well-being domains. This study aims to extend prior research by examining the influencing mechanisms of structural-economic and socio-relational exclusion on the physical, psychological, behavioural and educational well-being of Chinese migrant children. Multi-stage cluster random sampling is used to recruit a sample of migrant children (N = 484; M-age = 11.65 years; 52.9% girls) in Kunming, China, and structural equation modelling is used for data analysis. Results indicate that a high level of structural-economic exclusion predicts a high level of socio-relational exclusion, which, in turn, leads to low levels of physical, psychological, behavioural and educational well-being among migrant children. This study not only contributes to the understanding of the dynamic effects of social exclusion but also provides practical implications for social policy and interventions to reduce social exclusion and improve the well-being of Chinese migrant children.