Childhood adversities, urbanisation and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults

Evidence from a national survey in China

Bibliographic Data

ID11202259
AuthorsFan Yang (0000-0003-2978-7102, University of Hong Kong), Vivian W Q Lou (0000-0001-7000-1306, University of Hong Kong, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume36
Issue5
Pages1031-1051
Publication date2016-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAgeing and Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0144-686X • E-ISSN: 1469-1779
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0144686x15000239
OpenAlexW2137682299
LanguageEN
Citations received15
References cited50

The trajectory of modern China, namely from dire poverty and communist fever to economic boom and marketisation under an authoritarian regime, makes the country a unique social laboratory for examining how social environment affects human development of individuals. This study investigated the correlation between childhood adversity and depressive symptoms of Chinese middle-aged and older adults, as well as how urbanisation moderates the correlation. A sub-sample (N = 14,681) of the baseline of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study was analysed. Seven variables were used in the latent class analysis to establish a childhood adversity typology. Three urbanisation statuses were identified according to the Hukou (household registration system) status and neighbourhood type: non-urbanised, semi-urbanised and fully urbanised. The correlation between childhood adversity and depressive symptoms and the moderation of urbanization on the correlation were assessed with factorial analysis of covariance. Three latent classes for childhood adversities were identified: ‘normal childhood class', ‘low childhood socio-economic status and health class' and ‘traumatic childhood class'. The class membership was significantly correlated with depressive symptoms (p = 0.015), and the urbanisation status, also significantly affecting depressive symptoms (p = 0.05), had significant moderating effect on the correlation (p = 0.002). It is suggested that more social inclusive policies need to be adopted in order to guarantee the equal distribution of wellbeing led by urbanisation

China · Developmental psychology · Economic growth · Geography · Latent class model · Longitudinal study · Mental health · Moderation · Neighbourhood (mathematics) · Political science · Psychiatry · Social class · Sociology · Urbanization · Child Abuse and Trauma · Demography · Health disparities and outcomes · Homelessness and Social Issues · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology