| This dissertation research applies the social capital theory to investigate how social capital embedded in the family, school, peer, and community influence the psychosocial adjustment of Chinese migrant children independently, jointly, and interactively. Adopting a mixed-method design, and drawing on a sample of 772 pairs of migrant children and their parents living in Shanghai, China, this study addresses three major research questions: (1) How do family, school, peer and community social capital influence the psychosocial adjustment of migrant children in mainland China as they exist simultaneously? (2) What are the mechanisms by which various dimensions of social capital interact with each other to influence children's psychosocial adjustment? And (3) How does children's personal agency in generating and mobilizing each dimension of social capital moderate the effect of that type of social capital on their psychosocial adjustment?;Findings of this study suggest that, family, school, and peer social capital significantly influence the psychosocial adjustment of migrant children directly and positively; they also entirely mediate the effect of community social capital on the child's adjustment. In addition, the effect of family social capital is contingent on the stock of community social capital, where higher levels of community social capital boosters the effect of family social capital on children's psychosocial adjustment. Moreover, children's personal agency in generating and mobilizing social capital plays a significant role in magnifying the positive effects of family, school, and peer social capital, but not in modifying the function of community social capital.;This dissertation research advances social capital theory by demonstrating the multidimensional nature of social capital and by taking into account children's personal agency as a potential modifier of the social capital effects. It also advances the theory by testing it in a non-western socio-cultural context, thus potentially fortifying its universal applicability. The study proposes a social capital building model for social work practice and social policy. It emphasizes combined investment in multiple dimensions of social capital at both the mezzo and macro level. The study also informs future research to adopt longitudinal and comparative designs to further understand the functioning of social capital within various populations and socio-cultural contexts. |
