Educational aspirations of Chinese migrant children: The role of self-esteem contextual and individual influences

This study investigated the relationship between educational aspirations, contextual influences, and self-esteem in a large group of Chinese children who had migrated with their families from rural to urban settings. A total sample of 2491 migrant students (mean age = 14 years) from 15 elementary and middle schools in Zhejiang, China participated in the study. Through the structural equation modeling, it was found that social support from family and school, and self-esteem had direct and positive effects on migrant children's educational aspirations, above and beyond the influence of low socioeconomic status. Self-esteem also partially mediated the effects of school and family support on educational aspirations. The association between family support and educational aspirations was stronger among elementary school students than among middle school students. These findings highlighted the critical role of contextual and individual factors in shaping Chinese migrant children's academic prospects.