The impact of time while boarding on students’ academic achievement and social emotional competence: A propensity score matching analysis

Abstract This study aimed to determine the impact of consecutive boarding days on boarding school students’ academic achievement and social emotional competence. Data were collected from 6638 students in rural western China. Results showed that, in general, a break every 2–3 weeks had positive impacts, while a break every 4 weeks or more had negative effects on school boarders. More specifically, scheduled breaks that occur once a week, or more frequently, had more positive impacts on primary school boarders, and a scheduled break every 2–3 weeks had more benefits for junior middle school boarders. Additionally, taking a break every 2–3 weeks had more positive effects on both left-behind children and those commuting daily between home and school, but it played more positive role in the former. Therefore, for boarding school managers and policy makers, more attention should be paid to boarding schedules.