Network analysis of psychological problems in school‐attending students aged 6–16 years in China: A comparison between rural and urban areas

Importance: Urbanization significantly shapes the psychological health of children and adolescents. Objective: To apply network analysis to explore psychological problems among students aged 6-16 years from rural and urban areas of China. Methods: Using data from a multi-stage stratified epidemiological survey, we analyzed 19 711 students (9566 urban; 10 145 rural). Among them, 3003 had mental disorders. Screening was conducted using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), followed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents and psychiatrist interviews. Network analysis was used to compare rural and urban CBCL networks. Results: = 0.358). Interpretation: Urbanization is a significant environmental determinant affecting youth mental health in China, linked to distinct psychological patterns. Rural students tended to show more emotional problems, whereas urban students demonstrated more behavioral issues.