Discrimination perception and problem behaviors of left-behind children in China: the mediating effect of grit and social support

The study aims to explore the protection effect of grit as a personal quality and social support as an environmental factor in the association between left-behind children’s discrimination perception and problem behavior. A total of 457 left-behind children in China were recruited to complete the Discrimination Perception questionnaire, Social Support Scale, Short Grit Scale, and Problem Behavior Questionnaire. It found discrimination perception could positively associate with the problem behaviors of left-behind children. Grit played a mediating role in the relationship of left-behind children’s discrimination perception on problem behaviors. Social support played a mediating role in the association of left-behind children’s discrimination perception on problem behaviors. The higher the left-behind children’s discrimination perception, the lower their grit level, and the less social support led to the more prone to problem behaviors.