Abstract
Purpose To explore the mediating role of childhood abuse (CA) in the relationship between emotional-behavioral problems (EBP) and learning burnout (LB) for returned migrant middle school students in Guizhou province, China.Methods 2,020 returned migrant secondary school students were obtained as the subjects of this study. The Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ), Adolescent Student Burnout Scale (ASBI), and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF) were used to assess EBP, LB, and CA among returned migrant secondary school students. Analyses were conducted using multiple linear regression models, mediation effects, and structural equation modeling.Results The detection rates of EBP among returned migrant middle school students in Guizhou Province were borderline (17.1%), and abnormal (11.9%). After adjusting for confounding factors such as demographics, the multiple linear regression model showed that LB positively predicted EPB (β = 0.490, P < 0.001), and CA positively predicted EBP (β = 0.235, P < 0.001). The results of the mediation effect model analysis, the direct effect value of LB on EBP was 0.666 (P < 0.001), and the mediating effect value of CA was 0.065 (P < 0.001). CA played a partially mediating role in the effect of LB on EBP, with a mediating effect percentage of 9.0%.Conclusion LB could directly and positively affect the EBP of returned migrant middle school students and indirectly and positively affect the EBP of returned migrant middle school students through CA.