Self-Esteem, Loneliness, and Anxiety among   Urban Migrant Children in Migrant Children's School

Yuan Yan; Mei Foong Ang*

doi:10.36941/jesr-2025-0197

Authors

Yuan Yan Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia and Collage of Education and Music, Guilin University, 541006 Guilin, Guangxi, China
Mei Foong Ang* Faculty of Human Ecology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM,  Serdang Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia, *Corresponding author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2025-0197

Keywords:

Self-esteem, Loneliness, Anxiety, Migrant Children, Psychological Well-being.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between self-esteem, loneliness, and anxiety among migrant children attending migrant children’s schools, compared to their non-migrant peers. The research sought to explore how these psychological variables interact and affect the mental well-being of migrant children, providing a clearer understanding of the challenges they face in the educational context.A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing structured questionnaires to collect data from two groups: migrant children and non-migrant children. A total of 400 students (200 migrant and 200 non-migrant) participated in the study. Measures for anxiety, loneliness, and self-esteem were assessed using established scales, including the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), Children’s Loneliness Scale (CLS), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA).The study found that self-esteem was negatively correlated with anxiety, while loneliness was positively correlated with anxiety. Migrant children exhibited lower self-esteem and higher anxiety compared to their non-migrant peers, highlighting the psychological challenges they face in adapting to their environment. Multigroup analysis further confirmed significant differences between the two groups, highlighting that the influence of self-esteem and loneliness on anxiety varied depending on migration status.This research contributes to the limited literature on migrant children’s mental health by providing empirical evidence of the interplay between self-esteem, loneliness, and anxiety. It has practical implications for schools and policymakers, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to support migrant children’s emotional well-being and academic success.

Received: 24 July 2025 / Accepted: 15 October 2025 / Published: 05 November 2025