Study On The Sports Participation And Peer Interaction Of Left-behind Children In Rural Areas

Since the beginning of the new century,the issue of left-behind children in rural areas has become a hot topic of concern for the government and society.In the process of children’s socialization,besides the family and school,peer groups play an important role in their character development,rule acquisition,and emotional satisfaction.Due to the long-term absence of one or both parents,most rural left-behind children lack self-confidence,tend to be introverted,easily feel lonely,and have a lack of social skills,making it difficult for them to effectively integrate into peer groups.Additionally,the declining birth rate in rural areas and the excessive use of the internet by many rural left-behind children have further limited their communication with peers in real life.These factors make it challenging for them to effectively integrate into peer groups,thus negatively impacting their socialization and overall development.Therefore,improving the peer interaction of rural left-behind children has significant practical significance.Through research conducted in B town,F county,it has been found that in recent years,with the increasing allocation of points for sports in the secondary school entrance examination and the continuous improvement of sports facilities in rural communities,sports participation has played a positive role in improving the peer interaction of rural left-behind children.Currently,existing research in academia mainly focuses on analyzing the current situation and describing the problems,lacking in-depth studies on the mechanisms through which sports participation can improve the peer interaction of left-behind children.Therefore,the academic goal of this study is to reveal the relationship between the two.Based on theories such as child socialization theory,intergroup contact theory,social interaction theory,and the social function of sports theory,this study aims to explore the relationship between sports participation and the improvement of peer interaction among rural left-behind children through observations,interviews with children and relevant personnel,and provide theoretical basis for proposing rational policy recommendations.In terms of the types of sports participation,the sports participation behavior of rural left-behind children can be divided into school sports participation and community sports participation.Due to differences in participation settings,organizational methods,participants,objectives,and interaction methods,school sports participation and community sports participation play a role in improving the peer interaction of rural left-behind children at different levels.Research has found that the fairness,inclusiveness,and cooperativeness of sports participation weaken factors such as participants’ background,providing left-behind children with opportunities or platforms to engage in peer interactions and gain positive emotional experiences such as acceptance,being needed,recognized,and respected.This helps reduce sensitivity to identity rejection and stimulates left-behind children’s initiative to engage in peer interactions.Additionally,in sports participation,some rural left-behind children have the opportunity to showcase their excellent physical fitness and gain a sense of achievement,thereby enhancing their self-efficacy in peer interactions.In conclusion,sports participation can empower left-behind children at an individual level and improve their subjective motivation to engage in peer interactions.Research has found that partner groups formed based on community sports participation,due to geographical proximity,play a positive role in cultivating left-behind children’s peer interaction skills.Specifically,left-behind children participating in partner group activities through community sports engagement have positive implications for expanding their self-awareness,improving communication skills,developing rule consciousness,acquiring strategies for peer interactions,and adhering to social norms.These activities involve interactions with group members,interpreting and practicing sports game rules,organizing sports activities,dealing with conflicts and integration within the partner group,and engaging in cross-group interactions.They help compensate for the lack of social skills caused by the absence of parents to some extent.In two different fields of school and community,sports participation plays an effective role in improving the peer communication status of rural left-behind children by enhancing self-efficacy and establishing community partner groups,but they do not play an isolated role.The enhancement of self-efficacy at the individual level plays a positive role in enhancing self-confidence and reducing the sensitivity of identity rejection for left-behind children to integrate into partner groups.The social skills and rule awareness acquired in the social interaction of community sports partner groups have a positive effect on the self-efficacy of rural left-behind children in the school peer group interaction.In short,sports participation plays a positive role in the acquisition of confidence,the resolution of negative emotions,the reduction of identity rejection sensitivity,the expansion of self-cognition,the growth of social skills and emotional satisfaction of left-behind children at the two levels of individual empowerment and group communication,which is the mechanism of improving peer communication of left-behind children in rural areas.In terms of innovation,this study has the following innovative points.Firstly,through a case study approach,this research explores the impact mechanism of sports participation on peer interaction among rural left-behind children and the underlying socio-cultural factors,which expands the existing research ideas and perspectives to some extent and helps deepen the understanding of the promotion path of socialization for left-behind children.Secondly,through qualitative research,it specifically reveals two types of association mechanisms and their interactions between sports participation and the improvement of peer interaction among rural left-behind children from the perspectives of individuals,groups,and their interactions,filling the research gap in related topics.Thirdly,it avoids the fragmented approach of "sports for the sake of sports" and highlights the social embeddedness of sports participation and its positive effects on individual growth and social integration,further enriching the understanding of the pathways to improve peer interaction among rural left-behind children in academia.