Social Innovation and Health-Related Well-Being of Left-Behind Children: Evidence from an Intelligent Robot Project in China

Abstract

In China, rural children, compared to their urban counterparts, are disadvantaged by less parental care and limited access to educational resources. This can have dire consequences for their health-related well-being during a vulnerable and formative stage of the life course. Quality of life (QOL) has been increasingly used as an indicator of individuals’ well-being. QOL studies have primarily been conducted in Western contexts, but there is relatively less knowledge on QOL in the Chinese context, particularly for rural left-behind children (LBC). This study analyzed the effects of a socially innovative product – intelligent robots by the Li Ensan Charity Foundation – on the health-related well-being of rural LBC in China. Children who used the robots and reported higher satisfaction with the use experienced positive effects on QOL than their counterparts. We discussed the implications of these results in the context of micro- and macro-level practice.