A PSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL OF GERIATRIC DEPRESSION: MEDIATING ROLES OF FAMILY SUPPORT AND CONFUCIAN COPING

Abstract

Geriatric depression is a serious public health issue worldwide, and also closely related to successful aging. With the intensification of the aging population in China, the issues in geriatric depression require more attention. This study aimed to further explore the relationship of phychosocial factors to geriatric depression from a holistic view, focusing on the impact of social resources, personal skills, coping styles on depression in Chinese older adults under influence of Confucian culture. Non-cognitive skills and Confucian coping variables which were rarely considered in previous studies were incorporated into a psychosocial model of geriatric depression. This study sought to fill the research gap in successful aging in terms of mental health, thus helping people obtain a more comprehensive understanding of geriatric depression and successful aging.

The data were collected via a community survey targeting 394 adults aged 60 and above living in urban communities in Beijing, Chengdu, and Zhengzhou, which are aging cities in China. SPSS and a structural equation model (SEM) were used for the analysis of data and model fit test. SEM was also used to answer the two research questions: To what extent do social capital and non-cognitive skills directly or indirectly relate to geriatric depression; to what extent do family support and Confucian coping directly or indirectly relate to geriatric depression.

The findings showed that civic participation, non-cognitive skills, family support, pro-setback thinking and responsibility thinking were significantly related to geriatric depression, respectively. Family support played a mediating role between civic participation and geriatric depression. Pro-setback thinking mediated the relationship between non-cognitive skills and geriatric depression. Responsibility thinking played a mediating role between non-cognitive skills and geriatric depression. Family support and pro-setback thinking played a chain mediating role in the associations between civic participation and geriatric depression. Family support and responsibility thinking played a chain mediating role in the relationship between civic participation and geriatric depression.

The results of this study indicated that the psychosocial model of geriatric depression supported the effectiveness of identifying risk factors and protective factors related to depression in the elderly. Promoting community-level civic participation, improving non-cognitive skills, family support and Confucian coping are seen to contribute positively to fewer depressive symptoms among the elderly. The development of community capacity and the improvement in management of geriatric depression may increase the actual participation, family support and coping skills of the elderly, thereby improving health.

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