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. 2025 May 9:13:1548256.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1548256. eCollection 2025.

Trajectory patterns and influencing factors of depression due to child bereavement among older adults in China: a 5-year longitudinal study

Li Chen  1   2 , Zhangyi Wang  1 , Qiaoyan Wu  1 , Xiaochun Tang  1
Affiliations

Trajectory patterns and influencing factors of depression due to child bereavement among older adults in China: a 5-year longitudinal study

Li Chen et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Objective: As a result of the aging of the world population, a high number of older adults lose their children during their lifetime. Depression due to child bereavement is a significant psychological problem. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the trajectories of depressive symptoms associated with child bereavement among older adults in China and determine the influencing factors.

Methods: In this study, data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were used as the longitudinal data, and 284 women and 117 men aged over 60 years were included. A latent growth mixture model was used to identify trajectory patterns in depression due to child bereavement over time. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influencing factors.

Results: Four trajectory patterns of depressive symptoms associated with child bereavement were identified: a low depression rapidly increasing group (12.0%), a high depression rapidly declining group (12.1%), a high depression slowly increasing group (23.1%), and a low depression stable group (52.8%). The findings of the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that residence, sleep status, satisfaction with life, and self-report of health were related to the trajectory patterns of depressive symptoms among the participants.

Conclusion: This study revealed heterogeneity in changes in depressive symptoms among older adults with child bereavement in China. The government and medical institutions should consider these trajectory patterns of depression and adopt individualized support measures based on the characteristics of different groups.

Keywords: child bereavement; depressive symptoms; developmental trajectory; latent growth mixture model; older adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The study flow chart.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The trajectories of depressive symptoms among bereaved older adults in China.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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