This analysis investigates the impact of parental absence on early childhood development in Thailand, using the Denver II screening tool, based on a study conducted in 2013–2014. Children aged 36 months and younger were included (n = 923). Results reveal that the crucial factor for delayed development in early childhood is the mother’s presence in the household. Children who were cared for by others were not at higher risk of delayed development as long as their mother was present, while the father’s absence did not make a difference. This study raises concern for the large number of children living separately from their mothers, and also raises questions about the long-term effects of parental migration for this generation of Thai children.

中文翻译：

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泰国背景下父母缺席对幼儿发展的影响

本分析基于 2013-2014 年进行的一项研究，使用 Denver II 筛查工具调查父母缺席对泰国儿童早期发展的影响。包括 36 个月及以下的儿童（n = 923）。结果表明，儿童早期发育迟缓的关键因素是母亲在家中的存在。只要母亲在场，由他人照顾的孩子发育迟缓的风险就不会更高，而父亲的缺席则没有任何影响。这项研究引起了对大量与母亲分开生活的儿童的关注，也提出了关于父母移民对这一代泰国儿童的长期影响的问题。