Study: Psychological risks face left-behind children

Left-behind children - who live in rural areas while at least one parent is away working as a migrant - are more prone to psychological problems and physical injuries, according to a report released by China's top health authority.

Such children face more psychological difficulties starting at age 6 than other rural children, and the gap widens with age, according to the report on the development of China's migrant population released by the National Health Commission over the weekend.

These vulnerabilities increase in the fourth grade, including problems with emotional control and social adaptability, and left-behind children are more likely to have self-inflicted injuries, the report said.