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A profile analysis of post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms among Chinese Shidu parents
Buzohre Eli1,2, Yueyue Zhou1,2, Yiming Liang1,2
1CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Background:
Due to the one-child policy implemented in China, most families have only one child. When parents experience the death of their only child, these parents receive the label 'Shidu parents'. Shidu is a major public health issue in China. However, the patterns of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms that are present in this population remain unclear.
Objective:
This study aims to identify profiles of PTSD and depressive symptoms among Shidu parents and to explore the predictors of profile membership.
Methods:
A total of 363 participants (M age = 61.5 years, SD = 7.5) were asked to complete questionnaires assessing PTSD, depressive symptoms, perceived social support, and demographic information. Latent profile analyses and multivariate logistic regressions were used.
Results:
Three distinct profiles were identified: low (39.4%), moderate (32.8%), and high symptoms (27.8%). Parents who were younger and perceived lower levels of support from family and significant others were more likely to experience higher levels of PTSD and depressive symptoms.
Conclusions:
These results indicate that the severity of PTSD and depressive symptoms tightly cohere, providing evidence for the co-occurrence of PTSD and depressive symptoms after bereavement. The findings provide valuable information for the development of tailored professional interventions for bereaved parents.
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