The impact of left-behind experience on adulthood depression: the role of social networks, subjective well-being, and resilience

Abstract

Abstract Background Although some studies have explored the relationship between left-behind experience and depression of adulthood, there is generally a lack of analysis of the mechanisms involved and insufficient attention to heterogeneous influences.Methods Using the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey in 2018 (CLDS 2018), we assessed depression level by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The OLS regression was used to exam the effect of the left-behind experience, propensity score matching analyses were used to reduce selection bias. Mediation analysis was carried out using a multiple regression analysis to exam the mechanism of social support network, subjective wellbeing (happiness and life transaction). We also divide the sample into two groups according to the level of resilience, to investigate the role of resilience in resisting depression.Results Results show a positive relationship between the left-behind experience and adulthood depression, and longer left-behind duration associated with higher adulthood depression. Mediation analysis show that social networks and subjective well-being mediated the relationship between left-behind and adulthood depression; heterogeneity analysis show that left-behind stage, type (both or single parents migrated) had a heterogeneity effect on adulthood depression level: those people who had experienced the left-behind earlier have higher depression; the effect size of care type showing the characteristics of “single-parent guardianship > grandparent guardianship > parents guardianship”. Groups comparison show that higher resilience group had a lower effect of left-behind on adulthood depression.Conclusion This study demonstrates that left-behind experience could have long-term impact on individual’s mental health. When the left-behind grew up, they have higher depression level, and we found that those people experienced left-behind also have weaker social networks, lower subjective happiness and life satisfaction, these factors caused higher depression level. And higher resilience can help individuals to resist the impact of left-behind on depression. This study expands the knowledge and understanding of the mechanism about the left-behind experience impact on adulthood mental health, and revealed the protective role of resilience.