Hungry for Love.docVIP

Hungry for Love 　　On June 19， 2015， a study into the mental health of China’s“left-behind children，” mostly those in rural areas whose parents or one parent have moved away for work， was released by the non-profit organization Shangxuelushang （SXLS）， whose name translates as “On the Way to School.” 　　Researchers surveyed over 2，000 left-behind children in six provinces and regions mainly in the central and western parts of China. According to their findings， nearly 10 million left-behind children in China， or more than 15 percent， have no physical contact with their parents， with a further 4.3 percent failing to receive a single telephone call or other form of communication at any point during the year，even during the weeks-long Chinese New Year vacation. 　　The survey indicated that close to nine million left-behind children contact their parents once or twice a year， and 15 million contact their parents at least once every three months. It warned that children who have no contact with their parents at least once every three months are more likely to be “upset” and “confused” than those living in more settled circumstances. 　　The survey also pointed out that left-behind children living in northwestern China， a relatively underdeveloped region， are the most susceptible to mental health problems， with girls at greater risk on average than boys. The report went on to state that reading， playing， doing an appropriate amount of homework and living with their mothers can significantly reduce the risk of left-behind children developing psychological problems. 　　Liu Xinyu， the SXLS director who led the survey team， told our reporter that in China， while left-behind children have become something of a cause célèbre， there remains a lack of systematic and continuous research into the issue， especially regarding the psychological impact of growing up without the presence of a capable parent or guardian. 　　“As an NGO dedicated to the psychological problems [of left-be