Psychological Development and Education ›› 2021, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (6): 889-896.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2021.06.16

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Gendered Impact of Widowhood on Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Older Adults: The Moderating Role of Social Networks

TANG Dan1,2,3, QIAO Xin1, DENG Yumeng1   

  1. 1. Center for Population and Development Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872;
    2. Research Institute of Social Construction of Beijing, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872;
    3. Institute of Gerontology, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872
  • Published:2021-11-16

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Abstract: Data are derived from the 2014 baseline survey of the China Longitudinal Social Survey (CLASS), which provides a sample of older adults who had been married. This Study examines the association between widowhood and the depressive symptoms of older adults, and addressed the moderating role of social networks (measured by family ties and friendship ties) on the perceived association. Furthermore, the study analyzed gender as a moderator of these associations. The results showed that widowhood had a negative effect on the depression symptoms of the older adults, but there was no gender difference in this association. The friendship ties of the male widowed older adults was significantly lower than that of the married elderly, but there was no such difference among the female sample. Compared with the married older adults, the family ties had a greater effect on alleviating the depression level of the male widowed older adults, but the buffering effect of the family network was not found in the female sample.

Key words: elderly, widowhood, social networks, depressive symptoms

CLC Number: 

  • B844
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