Table 1.
Summary of studies included in the meta-analyses.
| ID | Study | Publication type | Sample size (boys) | Number of effect sizes | Age range | Location | Study design | Measure (loneliness) | Measures (predictors) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liu et al., 2008 | J | 181(88) | 4 | 10–16 | Henan | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender); SRNQ (social support) | 11 |
| 2 | Rong, 2008 | J | 170(96) | 1 | Grades 4–6 | Not reported | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender) | 11 |
| 3 | Xie, 2008 | D | 278(141) | 2 | Grades 7–9 | Sichuan | Cross-sectional | LSA | SDI (gender); PMQ (both-parent migration) | 9 |
| 4 | Wang, 2008 | J | 730(n/a) | 1 | Grades 5–6 | Sichuan | Cross-sectional | CLS | PMQ (both-parent migration) | 7 |
| 5 | Ren and Shen, 2008 | J | 262(141) | 1 | 6–12 | Zhejiang | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender) | 7 |
| 6 | Wu et al., 2010 | J | 437(n/a) | 1 | 11–16 | Guangdong | Cross-sectional | CLS | SSRS (social support) | 9 |
| 7 | Zhong et al., 2010 | J | 263(170) | 1 | Grades 7–9 | Not reported | Cross-sectional | LSA | FAD (family functioning) | 10 |
| 8 | Sun et al., 2010 | J | 407(n/a) | 1 | Grades 4–6 | Hunan | Cross-sectional | CLS | FQQ (friendship quality) | 11 |
| 9 | Qi and Jia, 2010 | J | 393(204) | 2 | 11–17 | Anhui | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender); PMQ (both-parent migration) | 11 |
| 10 | Wang, 2011 | D | 94(52) | 3 | Grades 4–6 | Gansu | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender); PMQ (both-parent migration); SSRS (social support) | 12 |
| 11 | Zhao and Shen, 2011 | J | 207(123) | 1 | 10–17 | Henan | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (age); CALHS (Cognitive Appraisals for Left-home Hassles) | 9 |
| 12 | Zhang, 2011b | J | 164(95) | 2 | Grades 3–5 | Henan | Cross-sectional | CLS | PN (peer acceptance); ASS (parent-child relationship) | 9 |
| 13 | Zhang, 2011a | J | 264(n/a) | 4 | Grades 3–9 | Henan | Cross-sectional | CLS | SRNQ (social support); RSES (self-esteem) | 9 |
| 14 | Yang et al., 2013 | J | 205(101) | 2 | Grades 7–8 | Chongqing | Cross-sectional | LSA | SDI (gender); NEO (extroversion) | 11 |
| 15 | Sun et al., 2013 | J | 288(159) | 4 | Grades 7–9 | Hubei | Cross-sectional | UCLA | SDI (gender); PMQ (both-parent migration); FQQ (friendship quality); RSCA (resilience) | 11 |
| 16 | Wang, 2013 | D | 546(276) | 1 | 6–14, Grades 1–6 | Shandong | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender) | 10 |
| 17 | Dong and Zhang, 2013 | J | 713(371) | 1 | Grades 7–9 | Yunnan | Cross-sectional | CLS | RSCA (resilience) | 11 |
| 18 | Zhao et al., 2013 | J | 209(120) | 3 | 10–17 | Henan | Cross-sectional | CLS | PN (peer acceptance); FACES (parent-child relationship); CBAS (beliefs about adversity) | 11 |
| 19 | Zhao, 2013 | J | 207(123) | 3 | 10–17 | Henan | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender);PMQ (both-parent migration); CRPBI (family functioning) | 11 |
| 20 | Duan, 2014a | J | 184(111) | 2 | Grades 3–6 | Xinjiang | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender);PMQ (both-parent migration) | 11 |
| 21 | Xu, 2014 | D | 306(137) | 3 | Grades 7–9 | Anhui | Cross-sectional | LSA | SDI (gender); PHCSCS (self-esteem); FQQ (friendship quality) | 9 |
| 22 | Yuan et al., 2014 | J | 744(n/a) | 1 | Grades 3–6 | Hebei | Cross-sectional | CLS | PMQ (both-parent migration) | 10 |
| 23 | Duan, 2014b | J | 184(111) | 2 | Grades 3–6 | Xinjiang | Cross-sectional | CLS | PHCSCS (self-esteem); SASC (social anxiety) | 11 |
| 24 | Sun, 2015 | D | 520(n/a) | 2 | Grades 3–7 | Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Liaoning, & Anhui | Cross-sectional | CLS | PN (peer relationship); SPPC (self-esteem) | 8 |
| 25 | Yue and Lu, 2015 | J | 387(n/a) | 2 | Grades 4–6 | Jiangsu & Guizhou | Cross-sectional | CLS | PMQ (both-parent migration) | 11 |
| 26 | Zhang and Hu, 2015 | J | 437(214) | 1 | Grades 5–6 | Jiangxi | Cross-sectional | CLS | PHCSCS (self-esteem) | 12 |
| 27 | Zhao, 2015 | J | 366(192) | 2 | 10–16 | Guizhou | Cross-sectional | CLS | SSRS (social support); CSES (core self-evaluations) | 11 |
| 28 | Xiao and Zhang, 2015 | J | 437(214) | 1 | Grades 5–6 | Jiangxi | Cross-sectional | CLS | SSRS (social support) | 12 |
| 29 | Fan et al., 2016 | J | 701(330) | 3 | Primary and Junior high school | Hunan | Cross-sectional | LSA | SDI (gender); PCQ (family functioning); CHS (trait hope) | 11 |
| 30 | Xu, 2016 | J | 628(316) | 3 | Grades 5–8 | Henan & Anhui | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI(gender) | 12 |
| 31 | Yang et al., 2016 | J | 985(488) | 2 | Grades 4–6 | Hunan | Cross-sectional | CLS | APGAR (family functioning); PSSM (school sense of belonging) | 12 |
| 32 | Kong et al., 2016 | J | 474(206) | 2 | Grades 7–9 | Shandong | Cross-sectional | UCLA | SDI (gender); SSRS (social support) | 7 |
| 33 | Liao et al., 2014 | J | 773(392) | 3 | 9–16 | Zhejiang | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender); SAS (social anxiety); SCSQ (coping styles) | 11 |
| 34 | Wang et al., 2011 | J | 250(n/a) | 1 | Grades 4–8 | Not Reported | Cross-sectional | CLS | PMQ (both-parent migration) | 10 |
| 35 | Fan, 2011 | J | 545(269) | 1 | Grades 4–8 | Hunan | Cross-sectional | CLS | PMQ (both-parent migration) | 11 |
| 36 | Liu et al., 2010 | J | 216(n/a) | 1 | Grades 4–6 | Hubei | Cross-sectional | CLS | PHCSCS (self-esteem) | 10 |
| 37 | Ai and Hu, 2016 | J | 414(214) | 2 | 10–13, primary school | Hunan & Sichuan | Cross-sectional | CLS | CDRS (resilience);SSRS (social support) | 11 |
| 38 | He, 2010 | D | 180(n/a) | 1 | Grades 8–9 | Chongqing | Cross-sectional | UCLA | FAD (family functioning) | 11 |
| 39 | Fan et al., 2014 | J | 234/151(n/a) | 3 | Grades 4–7 | Hunan | Longitudinal | LSA | FAS (family adversity); NEO (extroversion); RSES (self-esteem) | 11 |
| 40 | Duan and Zhang, 2014 | J | 435(238) | 2 | Grades 4–6 | Gansu | Cross-sectional | CLS | CPANS (abuse and neglect);PHCSS (self-esteem) | 10 |
| 41 | Yue et al., 2014 | J | 311(149) | 2 | Grades 1–6 | Hunan | Cross-sectional | LCLQ | SDI (age, gender); PCRQ (family functioning) | 10 |
| 42 | Liu et al., 2014 | J | 924(486) | 1 | Grades 1–5,7–10 | Xinjiang | Cross-sectional | CLS | RSCA (resilience) | 11 |
| 43 | Liu, 2014 | J | 301(156) | 2 | Grades 3–6 | Hebei | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI(gender); PHCSCS (self-esteem) | 12 |
| 44 | Xu, 2008 | D | 114 (n/a) | 2 | Grades 3–5 | Hubei | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender); CEQ (teacher-student relationship, peer relationship) | 8 |
| 45 | Zhao et al., 2008 | J | 218(n/a) | 1 | Grades 4–8, 10–17 | Henan | Cross-sectional | CLS | PMQ (both-parent migration) | 11 |
| 46 | Zhao et al., 2015 | J | 241(140) | 2 | Grades 4–8, 10–17 | Henan | Cross-sectional | CLS | FACES (parent-child relationship); NRI (friendship quality) | 14 |
| 47 | Zhang and Hu, 2015 | CP | 178(109) | 1 | Grades 4–6 | Hubei | Cross-sectional | CLS | SDI (gender) | 11 |
| 48 | Su et al., 2013 | J | 501(249) | 1 | Grades 5–8 | Guangxi | Cross-sectional | CLS | PMQ (both-parent migration) | 12 |
| 49 | Song et al., 2017 | J | 427(275) | 3 | Grades 7–8 | Hubei | Cross-sectional | CLS | PN (peer relationship); FACES (parent-child relationship); RSES (self-esteem) | 13 |
| 50 | Yu, 2017 | J | 305(157) | 2 | Grades 4–6 | Guangdong | Cross-sectional | CLS | SCS (social support) | 12 |
| 51 | Ren et al., 2017 | J | 416(211) | 1 | Junior and senior school | Hunan | Cross-sectional | UCLA-8 | SAS (social anxiety) | 12 |
Measures: APGAR, Family APGAR Index; CALHS, Cognitive Appraisals for Left-home Hassles Scale; CBAS, Chinese Beliefs about Adversity Scale; CDRS, Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale; CEQ, Class Environment Questionnaire; CHS, Children's Hope Scale; CLS, Children's Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Scale; CRPBI, Child Report of Parent Behavior Inventory; CSES, Core Self-Evaluations Scale; FACES, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales; FAD, Family Assessment Device; FAS, Family Adversity Scale; FQQ, Friendship Quality Questionnaire; LCLQ, Left-behind children's Loneliness Questionnaire; LSA, Loneliness Scale of Adolescent; NEO, NEO Personality Inventory; NRI, Network of Relationships Inventory; PCQ, Parental Care Questionnaire; PCRQ, Parent-Child Relationship Questionnaire; PHCSCS, Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale; PMQ, Parental Migration Questionnaire; PN, Peer Nomination; PSSM, Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale; RSCA, Resilience Scale for Chinese Adolescents; RSES, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale; SAS, Social Anxiety Scale; SCS, School Climate Scale; SCSQ, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire; SDI, Standard demographic information; SM, Sociometric Methods; ASS, Attachment Security Scale; SPPC, Harter's Self-perception Profile for Children; SRNQ, Social Relations Network Questionnaire; SSRS, Social Support Rate Scale; UCLA, UCLA Loneliness Scale; Publication type: D, Master's thesis; J, journal article; CP, Conference Proceedings.