The Impact of Rural Children's Perceived Importance on Parent-Child Attachment in Hengyang, Hunan Province: The Mediating Role of Social Support and the Moderating Role of Self-Efficacy

Background and Aim: The psychological growth of Chinese rural children, especially regarding their connection to main caregivers, has drawn more attention in recent years. Emotional stability, behavioral control, and general mental health are all significantly influenced by parent-child attachment. However, attachment dynamics may be particularly impacted in rural areas like Hengyang, Hunan Province, where parental migration, economic hardship, and educational gaps are prevalent. This study examines the relationship between the quality of parent-child attachment and the perceived relevance of rural children, which is a reflection of their relational significance and self-worth. Additionally, the study investigates whether self-efficacy and social support modulate this link, providing a comprehensive model of relational and psychological development in a structurally disadvantaged setting. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from 512 rural school-aged children (ages 10 to 15) in Hengyang, Hunan Province. Standardized and validated questionnaires were used to assess four main constructs: self-efficacy, perceived social support, parent-child connection, and perceived importance. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), which also looked into the suggested mediating effect of social support and the moderating role of self-efficacy. PROCESS macro analysis and bootstrapping methods were also used to investigate indirect and interaction effects. All measures underwent validity and reliability testing to ensure the instrument's robustness. Results: The results showed that the quality of parent-child attachment was significantly predicted by the perceived importance of children. This association was found to be partially mediated by social support, indicating that children who have a sense of worth are more likely to recognize and use social support, which in turn strengthens attachment ties. Further highlighting the interaction between internal and external resources in attachment formation, self-efficacy moderated the relationship between perceived importance and parent-child attachment, with the effect being more noticeable in children with greater levels of self-efficacy. Conclusion: This study emphasizes how important contextual support and personal perception are in creating safe parent-child attachment in rural areas. In addition to boosting rural children's sense of personal significance, interventions that aim to improve attachment quality should also increase the availability of social support networks and foster the growth of self-efficacy. For educators, legislators, and mental health professionals who interact with China's rural inhabitants, these findings offer insightful information.