Family socioeconomic status and adolescent depression in urban and rural China: A trajectory analysis

Background

Depression is increasingly prevalent among Chinese adolescents, with socioeconomic status (SES) serving as a significant predictor. Understanding the link between family SES and depression is of paramount concern. This study aimed to delineate the developmental paths of depressive symptoms among urban and rural Chinese adolescents, focusing on the influence of family SES on these trajectories.

Methods

Data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) for 2012, 2016, and 2018 were used in this study. Participants were individuals aged 10 to 15 in the 2012 wave who also participated in the 2016 and 2018 waves (N = 1214). Family SES was measured by household income, parental education, and occupational status, while depressive symptoms were measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Employing the Growth Mix Model (GMM) unveiled depression trajectories, while logistic regression scrutinized the impact of family SES on these trajectories.

Results

The study identified three depression trajectories in urban adolescents: high-decreasing, low-stable, and low-rising levels of depressive symptoms, and two depression trajectories in rural adolescents: high-decreasing and low-stable levels of depressive symptoms. On average, rural adolescents reported higher depression levels than urban peers. In urban areas, adolescents with higher maternal education and parental occupation were more likely to be classified in the low-stable trajectory, while in rural areas only maternal education had predictive power for depression trajectories.

Conclusions

Depression trajectories differ between urban and rural in China. Maternal education is an important factor influencing rural sample grouping. Targeted interventions could be implemented to reduce depression in adolescents.