Family Support and Depression Among Chinese Older Adults in Transnational Families

Background and Purpose:  With the globalization of international migration, the population of older adults who live in their home countries but whose children have migrated to other countries (i.e., older adults in transnational families) has enormously swelled in the recent decades. However, very few studies have explored psychological well-being of the older adults in transnational families. Given the fast growth of migration from China to other countries and importance of family support for Chinese older adults, this study examined how family support is associated with depression among Chinese older adults in transnational families. We hypothesized that emotional support from migrant children and availability of other family members in China are related to lower level of depression among these elders and the effects of emotional support from migrant children on depression are moderated by availability of other family members remained in China.

 Methods: To examine the hypotheses, we used the data from a cross-sectional survey of 293 Chinese aged 60 and over in transnational families in Beijing. Depression was measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale. Emotional support from migrant children was assessed by a 3-item scale based on an older adult’s evaluation of his/her relationship with each migrant child and the maximum score of emotional support from migrant children of an older adult was used in the analysis. Availability of other family members in China was revealed by marital status of the older adults and whether having at least one child in China. Stepwise regression models were carried out to examine the hypotheses and demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status and physical health status were controlled for.

Results: The average score of depression in the sample was 2.76 (range from 0 to 18) and 84.31% elders perceived having close or very close relationships with migrant children. Almost 80% elders married and lived with their spouses and more than one third elders have no child in China. The regression results show that having close or very close relationships were significantly related to lower level of depression among Chinese older adults in transnational families. The elders who had at least one child in China reported significantly lower level of depression than their counterparts who did not have children in China. The effect of having the very close relationship with migrant children on depression was specifically stronger among the widowed or divorced older adults and among the older adults who did not have children remained in China.

Conclusions and Implications: This study highlighted the importance of emotional support from migrant children and availability of having other family members in home countries in predicting depression among older adults in transnational families. The effects of emotional support from migrant children on depression were stronger in the older adults who had less family members in home countries. The findings suggested that maintaining emotionally supportive relationships between older adults in transnational families and their migrant children may help to prevent depression among these elders, especially the older adults who have no spouses and/or children in home countries.