Peer support mediates sex differences in self-esteem and problem behaviors among children: Does parental migration make a difference?

Previous studies have identified sex differences in self-esteem and internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Using cross-sectional data from 483 children (67.3% males, all Han Chinese) aged 8.97 to 17.0 years in a rural China’s boarding school, this study examined whether parenting styles, teacher support and peer support mediated the effect of sex on self-esteem and problem behaviors and whether the mediation model differed between children left behind by one or both of their migrant parents and children of non-migrant families. The results indicated that peer support suppressed the relations of sex to self-esteem and internalizing problem behaviors. Low peer support mediated the relationship of being boys with more externalizing problem behaviors. The significantly different path between left-behind children and non-left-behind children was based on the association of parental refusal with self-esteem.