Abstract: There’s much literature dedicated to the study of left-behind children, yet the quality is not so satisfying. The
sorting out of the existing researches will be helpful to erect a correct value orientation for left-behind children research. In a broad sense, the existing literature indicates that the left-behind children are not limited to rural areas, they are also found in the cities. However, wherever the children are, we cannot say the left-behind children are problem children. In the process of growth, some left-behind children are normal in every sense while others have serious problems, of which the spiritual leaving- behind is quite typical. The reason is in large part due to lack of supervision and care, resulting in children’s perception of being psychologically distanced. New trends are emerging in present research of left-behind children. The problem children perspec- tive is giving way to the perspective from the non-problem children. The direction of the research turns from objectivity di-
mension to subjectivity or inter-subjectivity dimension. The content of the research turns from the problem and the phenome- non to the practice and the operational aspect. Meanwhile, abnormal care strategy should be replaced with normal care strategy in treating left-behind children.
Keywords: spiritual leaving-behind;left-behind children;p