A cross-lagged analysis of the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults: gender effects of socioeconomic status

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the mechanism and gender effect of socioeconomic status on the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults, with the intention of providing a practical foundation for enhancing the quality of life of the older adults.MethodsThe data...

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Main Authors: Bi-Ji Fang, Kai-Seng Leong, Hong-Xiu Tan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1389801/full
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author Bi-Ji Fang
Kai-Seng Leong
Hong-Xiu Tan
author_facet Bi-Ji Fang
Kai-Seng Leong
Hong-Xiu Tan
author_sort Bi-Ji Fang
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the mechanism and gender effect of socioeconomic status on the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults, with the intention of providing a practical foundation for enhancing the quality of life of the older adults.MethodsThe data sourced from the third (conducted in 2015, denoted as the first survey) and fourth (carried out in 2018, regarded as the second survey) installments of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) were meticulously analyzed through the utilization of cross-lagged analytical techniques and moderating effect examination methodologies.ResultsAmong the older adults, there exists a reciprocal causal relationship between marital quality and the level of depression. Specifically, the marital quality as measured in the first survey was found to significantly prognosticate the depression level in the second survey (β = 0.05, p < 0.05). Conversely, the depression level in the first survey was also demonstrated to significantly forecast the marital quality in the second survey (β = 0.15, p < 0.01). Regarding the moderating role of socioeconomic status, it was observed that among the older adult women, socioeconomic status exerted a moderating influence on the impact of depression on marital quality (β = 0.05, p < 0.05), whereas among the older adult men, their socioeconomic status failed to display a significant moderating effect (β = 0.02, p > 0.05). In a contrasting manner, for the older adult men, the socioeconomic status played a moderating role in the effect of marital quality on depression (β = −0.05, p < 0.01), while for the older adult women, it did not exhibit a moderating effect (β = −0.01, p > 0.05).ConclusionThere exists a reciprocal causal nexus between the marital quality and depression among the older adults. To enhance the life quality of the older adults, it behooves communities and families to proactively focus more on the older adults with subpar marital quality or afflicted by depression, and to disrupt the cyclic interplay between these two variables.
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spelling doaj-art-fcacc4f8766842f0a66cbe93926346de2025-01-15T06:10:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-01-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.13898011389801A cross-lagged analysis of the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults: gender effects of socioeconomic statusBi-Ji Fang0Kai-Seng Leong1Hong-Xiu Tan2School of Education Science, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, Guangdong, ChinaFaculty of Health and Wellness, City University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, ChinaSchool of Education Science, Shaoguan University, Shaoguan, Guangdong, ChinaObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the mechanism and gender effect of socioeconomic status on the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults, with the intention of providing a practical foundation for enhancing the quality of life of the older adults.MethodsThe data sourced from the third (conducted in 2015, denoted as the first survey) and fourth (carried out in 2018, regarded as the second survey) installments of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) were meticulously analyzed through the utilization of cross-lagged analytical techniques and moderating effect examination methodologies.ResultsAmong the older adults, there exists a reciprocal causal relationship between marital quality and the level of depression. Specifically, the marital quality as measured in the first survey was found to significantly prognosticate the depression level in the second survey (β = 0.05, p < 0.05). Conversely, the depression level in the first survey was also demonstrated to significantly forecast the marital quality in the second survey (β = 0.15, p < 0.01). Regarding the moderating role of socioeconomic status, it was observed that among the older adult women, socioeconomic status exerted a moderating influence on the impact of depression on marital quality (β = 0.05, p < 0.05), whereas among the older adult men, their socioeconomic status failed to display a significant moderating effect (β = 0.02, p > 0.05). In a contrasting manner, for the older adult men, the socioeconomic status played a moderating role in the effect of marital quality on depression (β = −0.05, p < 0.01), while for the older adult women, it did not exhibit a moderating effect (β = −0.01, p > 0.05).ConclusionThere exists a reciprocal causal nexus between the marital quality and depression among the older adults. To enhance the life quality of the older adults, it behooves communities and families to proactively focus more on the older adults with subpar marital quality or afflicted by depression, and to disrupt the cyclic interplay between these two variables.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1389801/fullthe older adultsmarital qualitydepressionsocioeconomic statusgender effect
spellingShingle Bi-Ji Fang
Kai-Seng Leong
Hong-Xiu Tan
A cross-lagged analysis of the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults: gender effects of socioeconomic status
Frontiers in Psychology
the older adults
marital quality
depression
socioeconomic status
gender effect
title A cross-lagged analysis of the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults: gender effects of socioeconomic status
title_full A cross-lagged analysis of the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults: gender effects of socioeconomic status
title_fullStr A cross-lagged analysis of the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults: gender effects of socioeconomic status
title_full_unstemmed A cross-lagged analysis of the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults: gender effects of socioeconomic status
title_short A cross-lagged analysis of the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults: gender effects of socioeconomic status
title_sort cross lagged analysis of the relationship between marital quality and depression among the older adults gender effects of socioeconomic status
topic the older adults
marital quality
depression
socioeconomic status
gender effect
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1389801/full
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