The Grandparenting and Mental Health of Middle Aged and Elderly People: The Mediating Effect of Family Cohesion

Abstract

Abstract: This study examined the association between the grandparenting and mental health, and the mediating role of family cohesion. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and Family Cohesion subscale of Family Environment Scale (FES) were used to assess depressive symptoms, life satisfaction and family cohesion, respectively. A self-developed questionnaire with a single item measured frequency of grandparents’ caring for grandchildren. Data were collected through a community survey. A total of 325 community-dwelling grandparents (aged ≥ 45) years were investigated. The results showed that caregiving frequency was negatively associated with both depressive symptoms and life satisfaction, which indicated that the grandparenting had both positive and negative effects on grandparents’ mental health. Moreover, family cohesion partially mediated the relationship between caregiving frequency and depressive symptoms, and the relationship between caregiving frequency and life satisfaction. In conclusion, the grandparenting had both positive and negative roles in mental health of middle aged and elderly people as grandparents, and family cohesion partially mediated the above relationship.

Key words: the grandparenting, mental health, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, family cohesion

摘要： 研究旨在考察隔代照料与中老年人心理健康的关系以及家庭亲密度的中介作用。采用流行病调查中心抑郁量表（CES-D）、生活满意度量表（SWLS）和家庭环境量表（FES-CV）亲密度分量表测量中老年人抑郁症状、生活满意度和家庭亲密度。自编隔代照料问卷测量中老年人的隔代照料频率。共计325位45岁及以上有照顾孙辈经验的社区中老年人参加了问卷调查。结果发现：第一，隔代照料强度与中老年人的抑郁症状、生活满意度存在显著负相关；第二，家庭亲密度部分中介了隔代照料与抑郁症状、生活满意度的负向关系。结果表明，隔代照料对中老年人心理健康既有积极作用，也有消极作用，家庭亲密度在一定程度上部分中介了上述关系。

关键词: 隔代照料, 心理健康, 抑郁症状, 生活满意度, 家庭亲密度

CLC Number:

B844

SHEN Linlin, ZHANG Zhen. The Grandparenting and Mental Health of Middle Aged and Elderly People: The Mediating Effect of Family Cohesion[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2020, 18(2): 234-240.

申琳琳, 张镇. 隔代照料与中老年人心理健康：家庭亲密度的中介作用[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2020, 18(2): 234-240.

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