Association between reasons for living and left-behind experiences among college freshmen

Objective To explore the association between reasons for living with left-behind experiences among college freshmen,and to provide information for suicide prediction and prevention.Methods A total of 3 133 freshman from a university in Guangzhou were chosen by random cluster sampling and investigated with Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (RFL-A) on September,2014.Results The scores of reasons for living,family alliance,peer acceptance and support and self-acceptance among college freshmen with left-behind experience (4.94±0.56,5.12±0.67,4.84±0.69,5.16±0.65) were significantly lower than those without left-behind experience (5.00±0.57,5.22±0.66,4.92±0.71,5.24±0.65).The difference was statistically significant (P<0.01).The scores of family alliance and self-acceptance among those with one migrant parent (5.18±0.67,5.21±0.66) was significantly higher than those with parents both went out (5.06±0.67,5.10±0.63).The difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The scores of suicide-related concerns,family alliance,peer acceptance and support,as well as reasons for living among left-behind experience during 13-18 years old was the highest (F=3.953,5.980,3.638,5.747,P<0.05).The scores of suiciderelated concerns,family alliance and reasons for living among students with contacts with parents once a week/two weeks was the highest(F=5.954,15.566,11.373,P<0.01).Frequency in contacting with migrant parents had significant main effects on reasons for living(F=5.950,P<0.01).Conclusion Reasons for living among undergraduate with left-behind experience are lower compared with counterparts without left-behind experience.The real reasons influencing reasons for living among those college freshmen might correlate more with attachment with parents.