Family health as a mediator between work-family conflict and depression in working parents: a cross-sectional study

Although there is a growing body of research on work-family conflict and its impact on mental health, significant gaps in the literature remain.

To investigate the mediating role of family health in the association between WFC and depression among Chinese working parents.

A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2021 Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents, which included 5,068 working parents. Work-family conflict was measured using the Work-Family Conflict Scale (WAFCS), family health was assessed using the Short Form of the Family Health Scale (FHS-SF), and depression was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Logistic regression models and mediation analysis were employed to examine the relationships between WFC, family health, and depression.

The study found that 16.0% of participants reported symptoms of depression. Higher levels of WFC were significantly associated with an increased risk of depression (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.01-1.02), while higher family health scores were associated with a reduced risk of depression (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93-0.97). Family health partially mediated the relationship between WFC and depression, accounting for 14.27% of the total effect. Younger parents (under 35 years of age) and those with multiple illnesses were at higher risk of depression.

Family health plays a mediating role in the relationship between WFC and depression among Chinese working parents. Although the mediation effect is modest, it represents a large-scale investigation in a Chinese-speaking population, providing actionable metrics for public health screening. This study makes three contributions. Theoretically, it integrates COR theory and the W-HR model by positioning family health as a dynamic mediating resource; empirically, it provides a first large-scale, nationally representative quantification of this indirect pathway among working parents; and practically, it identifies a concrete, modifiable intervention target with actionable metrics for public health screening. These findings highlight the importance of holistic approaches that address both individual- and family-level factors in mental health interventions.