Communal space and depression: A structural-equation analysis of relational and psycho-spatial pathways

The new urban landscape in countries experiencing unprecedented urban transformation has a profound impact on the global burden of depression. Based on survey data from 39 neighborhoods in Guangzhou, China, this study assesses the relationship between communal space and depression. To unravel the relational and psycho-spatial embeddedness of communal space, a structural equation analysis suggests that neither the use of nor the sense of communal space has a direct association with depressive symptoms. Instead, the indirect effect of the use of communal space on depression is mediated by neighborhood-based social networks and neighborhood attachment, while the indirect effect of the sense of communal space on depression is only mediated by neighborhood attachment. Given the presence of indirect relational and psycho-spatial pathways linking communal space and depression, this study argues that the place-making and relational approaches should be integrated to provide a holistic view of the socio-spatial nature of urban landscape.