A study on the association between family emotional bonds and depressive symptoms among Chinese older couples: evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study

Numerous studies have acknowledged the link between marital satisfaction and depressive symptoms, yet a comprehensive family-centric perspective remains unexplored. This investigation delves into the influences of marital satisfaction on depressive symptoms among elderly pairs, considering both individual and cross-spousal impacts, while highlighting the intermediary role of the parent-child relationship. Employing data from 2909 Chinese pairs aged 60 and above in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we utilized the Actor-Partner-Interdependence-Model (APIM). This model examined emotional ties within families and their associations with depressive indicators on individual and spousal levels. Our APIM analysis revealed a positive correlation between depressive symptoms in husbands and wives and their respective levels of marital satisfaction. Notably, wives’ marital satisfaction significantly predicted depressive symptoms in husbands. The parent-child bond emerged as a mediator, linking marital satisfaction to depressive symptoms for both genders. Specifically, wives’ perception of the parent-child relationship mediated the link between their marital satisfaction and husbands’ depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were linked to personal marital satisfaction, and the parent-child relationship served as a mediator for both partners. Importantly, the marital satisfaction of wives and the parent-child relationship significantly impacted the depressive symptoms of both spouses, particularly predicting depressive tendencies among husbands. Therefore, interventions aimed at the mental well-being of aging spouses should adopt a comprehensive family-centric approach, with a specific focus on aging females.