The Impact of Social Support on Depressive Symptoms Through Mindfulness and Resilience Among Chinese Parents Who Lost Their Only Child

Abstract

The number of Shidu parents (parents over the age of 45 years who have lost their only child) has been increasing in China, which is important because Shidu parents experience depressive symptoms. This study investigated the potential mediating roles of mindfulness and resilience in the relation between social support and depressive symptoms among Shidu parents. From June to December 2021, 111 Shidu parents in Baoji city, China, completed a web-based survey on social support, depressive symptoms, mindfulness, and resilience. The results indicated that Shidu parents suffer from a high risk of depressive symptoms, and significant correlations were found between the study variables. Path analysis models showed that the relation between social support and depressive symptoms in Shidu parents was fully mediated by a combination of mindfulness and resilience. These findings further highlighted the significance of social support, mindfulness, and resilience in potentially alleviating depressive symptoms among Shidu parents.