Socioeconomic Deprivation's Effect on Depression: Family Satisfaction's Moderating Role

Socioeconomic deprivation has been associated with depression, and previous studies have demonstrated an association between family relationship satisfaction and depression. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding whether family relationship satisfaction can moderate the association between socioeconomic deprivation and depression. This study examined the longitudinal association between socioeconomic deprivation and depression and tested whether family relationship satisfaction and benefits from the Basic Livelihood Security System moderated this association. Data from the Korea Welfare Panel Study were used, including 7867 Korean adults followed over a five-year period from 2017 to 2021. Correlation analysis and generalized estimating equations were conducted to examine whether family relationship satisfaction and Basic Livelihood Security System benefits moderated the association between socioeconomic deprivation and depression. Socioeconomic deprivation was significantly associated with higher depressive symptoms, whereas family relationship satisfaction was significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms. The interaction between socioeconomic deprivation and family relationship satisfaction was significant (B = -0.174, Wald χ² = 37.662, p < 0.001), indicating that family relationship satisfaction moderated this association. Although receipt of Basic Livelihood Security System benefits was significantly associated with depression, the interaction between socioeconomic deprivation and benefit receipt was not significant (B = 0.135, Wald χ² = 2.506, p = 0.113). These findings highlight the importance of considering both socioeconomic conditions and family relationship resources when examining factors associated with depressive symptoms among socioeconomically disadvantaged adults.