Filial Caregiving and Chinese Adults’ Depressive Symptoms: Do Early-Life Parent-Child Relationships Matter?

This study investigated the association between caregiving time and depressive symptoms among Chinese adult children aged 45 and above, and whether early-life relationships with parents moderated the association. We used data from the 2011, 2013, and 2018 waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and the 2014 CHARLS Life History Survey, which included 4781 respondents with living mothers and 2710 respondents with living fathers. Results from multilevel models showed that caregiving time for mothers or fathers was not significantly associated with adults’ depressive symptoms in general. However, more caregiving time for mothers was significantly associated with more depressive symptoms among respondents experiencing more frequent maternal childhood physical abuse. Altogether, childhood maltreatment may affect levels of caregiving stress decades later. Filial caregivers with a history of childhood physical abuse may require support.