Volume 29, Issue 2
DOI: 10.24205/03276716.2020.203
SOCIAL INTEGRATION, MENTAL HEALTH AND WILLINGNESS TO SETTLE IN CITIES OF MIGRANT WORKERS: AN ANALYSIS BASED ON STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL
Abstract
Social integration and mental health have great impacts on how willing migrant workers are to settle in cities. This paper aims to identify how these two factors affect the willingness of migrant workers to settle in cities. First, two hypotheses were put forward based on relevant literature and the theory of individual behavior, holding that the migrant workers’ willingness to settle in cities is positively affected by both social integration and mental health. Next, a questionnaire survey was carried out among migrant workers, using 19 observation variables and 3 latent variables. Finally, the structural equation model was introduced to analyze the survey data and validate the hypotheses. The results show that the respondents are very willing to settle in cities, moderately integrated to the local society, and poor in mental health; both social integration and mental health have a significant positive effect on migrant workers’ tendency to settle in cities; migrant workers of different genders and education levels differ greatly in their willingness to settle in cities; the urban integration and mental health of migrant workers can be enhanced by improving their income, work conditions and social security, thereby boosting their willingness to settle in cities. The research findings help to promote the coordinated urban-rural development and guide the rational movement of population.
Keywords
Migrant Workers, Social Integration, Mental Health, Willingness to Settle, Structural Equation Model.