Multigenerational social mobility and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Chinese

Social mobility plays an important role in shaping mental health in older age. However, most research focused on mobility across 2 generations and relied on limited socioeconomic status (SES) indicators (e.g., education and occupation). This study explored patterns of social mobility across 3 generations using 4 SES indicators and examined their association with depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Chinese.

Respondents (aged ≥45) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included (N = 3,349). Information on hukou, education, occupation, and Communist Party membership was retrieved for the respondents, their parents, and their children. Latent class analysis was used to identify distinct patterns of multigenerational social mobility. Mixed-effects models examined the association between class membership and the depressive symptom trajectory from 2011 to 2018.

Five classes were identified: Class 1 (40.43%) showed a slow rise in SES while remaining rural hukou; Class 2 (29.50%) exhibited a steady rise in SES while remaining rural hukou; Class 3 (21.80%) experienced a rapid rise in SES and their hukou converted from rural to urban; Class 4 (1.16%) showed a steady rise in SES while remaining urban hukou; Class 5 (7.11%) maintained a high SES and remained urban hukou. Compared to the Class 1 "slowly rising rural," steadily or rapidly rising or stably high SES was associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms at baseline.

This study underscores the disadvantaged status of individuals with rural hukou and slow multigenerational upward mobility, calling for more targeted mental health support for them.