Psychological characteristics of the rural poor from self-assessment and external assessment perspectives and their association with socio-demographic factors

Wei Wei¹Yan Li²Zhu Jin-wei^2*

• ¹Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
• ²Faculty of Education, Shaanxi Xueqian Normal University, Xi'an, China

Rural poverty represents a significant global social issue that not only severely constrains the socio-economic development of nations worldwide but also constitutes a pivotal root cause for a range of problems including regional conflicts, terrorism, racial discrimination, and environmental degradation. Consequently, the causes and governance of rural poverty have emerged as critical research topics in the international academic arena. This study focuses on over 80 natural villages across eight provinces (regions) in central China (Shanxi, Henan, Hubei), northwest China (Shaanxi, Xinjiang, Qinghai), and southwest China (Guizhou and Yunnan). It involves 1943 individuals living in poverty and 1889 non-poor individuals. Utilizing a questionnaire assessment approach, the study measures the psychological trait levels of the rural poor population. The independent samples t-test elucidated that, from the dual viewpoints of self-assessment and hetero-assessment, individuals within the poor demographic exhibited significantly elevated ratings on the traits of retractability and stubbornness in contrast to their non-poor counterparts. Conversely, their evaluations pertaining to the trait of grit were conspicuously lower. The hierarchical linear regression analysis unveiled that socio-demographic variables, encompassing age, health status, family size, and the poverty degree, collectively accounted for 5.2% of the explanatory power regarding the psychological characteristics of the rural poor. This research advances our comprehension of the psychological profiles inherent to rural poor individuals, shedding light on the profound psychological underpinnings of rural poverty. It furnishes a robust theoretical foundation for the crafting of highly targeted and efficacious poverty alleviation strategies and imparts invaluable insights for the advancement of poverty psychology and the global endeavor against poverty.