Characterization of the psychological status of children left-behind for their parents as a consequence of migration

Introduction: children left-behind for their parental figure as a consequence of migration in familial context is a current reality that increasingly demands the intervention of Psychologists, the study and understanding of this process regarding its Impact on different areas. Of special interest is the family context, considering it as the most important center to achieve children’s integral development. Objective: to characterize the psychological status of children separated from their parental figures in the family context as a consequence of temporary or permanent migration. Method: an observational, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was carried out at Luis Augusto Turcios Lima University Polyclinic from September 2014- February 2015. This research had a qualitative design using the methodology of case studies, the phenomenological approach along with the application of instruments for the psychological assessment. Results: the emotional condition was characterized by the presence of anger, sadness, anxiety, feelings of longing and sorrow, fears about the separate figure and the integrity of the family as a whole and uncertainty; cognitions reveal accusatory thoughts toward the separate figure, beliefs of abandonment and disloyalty, and prior experiences of separation that shaded the present psychological status; behavioral reactions showed alterations in habitual behavior and in the family and school settings. Conclusions: the psychological status of children was characterized by the combination of emotional, cognitive and behavioral characteristics that typified the habitual modes of response of children to this event