Depressive symptoms among older empty nesters in China: the moderating effects of social contact and contact with one's children. (2nd January 2023)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Depressive symptoms among older empty nesters in China: the moderating effects of social contact and contact with one's children. (2nd January 2023)
- Main Title:
- Depressive symptoms among older empty nesters in China: the moderating effects of social contact and contact with one's children
- Authors:
- Xu, Mingming
Yang, Wei - Abstract:
- Abstract: Objectives: Mental health for older people has become a major social concern. Literature has shown that older people, especially when they become empty nesters—when a parent lives alone or lives with his/her spouse after the youngest child leaves home—may start to develop various mental health problems due to reduced contacts with their children. Using fixed-effects, multivariate regression with a difference-in-differences approach and propensity score matching, this paper examines the relationship between being an empty nester and mental health among older people in China, and the moderating effects of social contact and contact with one's children in terms of mental health. Our data come from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study of 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018. Results: We found that, in the short term, the mental health of older people may not be affected after they became empty nesters. But in the longer term, if they did not have regular contact with their children, their mental health would deteriorate with time. Social contact, especially cognitive activities, was beneficial to the mental health of the older empty nesters. We also found that for older empty nesters with disabilities, frequent social contact and contact with their children were more important. Conclusion: We urge the government to promote community-based social activities for older people, especially for those with functional limitations.
- Is Part Of:
- Aging & mental health. Volume 27:Number 1(2023)
- Journal:
- Aging & mental health
- Issue:
- Volume 27:Number 1(2023)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 27, Issue 1 (2023)
- Year:
- 2023
- Volume:
- 27
- Issue:
- 1
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2023-0027-0001-0000
- Page Start:
- 54
- Page End:
- 69
- Publication Date:
- 2023-01-02
- Subjects:
- Empty nest -- depressive symptoms -- social contact -- children contact -- China
Older people -- Mental health -- Periodicals
Geriatric psychiatry -- Periodicals
Older people -- Psychology -- Periodicals
Aging -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals
Aged -- psychology -- periodicals
Mental Health -- periodicals
Mental Health Services -- periodicals
Aging -- psychology -- periodicals
Aged, 80 and over -- psychology -- periodicals
618.97689 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.tandfonline.com/ ↗
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/13607863.asp ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1080/13607863.2021.2019190 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 1360-7863
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 0736.354000
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 24794.xml