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<p>Previous research on the relationship between institutional trust and depression in older adults is limited, and few studies have examined the mediating roles of social connectedness and life satisfaction. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the multiple mediating roles of social connectedness and life satisfaction in the relationship between institutional trust and depression among older Chinese adults. On the basis of data from the 2022 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), a total of 4,457 Chinese older adults (48.96% women, 51.04% men; aged 60–97 years, M = 73.5 years) were included. Institutional trust, depression (measured by the CES-D8 scale, Cronbach’s α = 0.751), social connectedness (single-item scale, 0–10 points), and life satisfaction (single-item scale, 1–5 points) were assessed through questionnaires. A multiple mediation model was tested via Model 6 of the PROCESS macro, with significance tested via 5,000 bootstrap resamples. After controlling for gender, age, and household registration status, the results indicated that (1) institutional trust was significantly directly associated with lower depression (β = -0.061, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001); (2) social connectedness (β = -0.069, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) and life satisfaction (β = -0.217, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) independently mediated the relationship between institutional trust and depression, accounting for 14.61% and 32.64% of the total effect, respectively; and (3) a sequential mediation pathway (institutional trust → social connectedness → life satisfaction → depression) accounted for 8.61% of the total effect. The multiple mediation model explained 55.79% of the total effect. These findings suggest that institutional trust is directly and indirectly associated with lower depression levels among Chinese older adults through both independent and sequential pathways involving social connectedness and life satisfaction. This study reveals a protective pathway of institutional trust through “<i>institutional trust- social connectedness-life satisfaction</i>,” providing a theoretical basis for interventions targeting depression in older adults.</p>

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Institutional Trust and Depression in Older Adults: the Multiple Mediating Effects of Social Connectedness and Life Satisfaction

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月3日

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  • Ling Zhang,
  • Lin Tan,
  • Ruigang Wei,
  • Jingwen Zhou,
  • Xiaoyue Ning,
  • Xiaolong Che,
  • Minqiang Zhang

摘要

Previous research on the relationship between institutional trust and depression in older adults is limited, and few studies have examined the mediating roles of social connectedness and life satisfaction. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the multiple mediating roles of social connectedness and life satisfaction in the relationship between institutional trust and depression among older Chinese adults. On the basis of data from the 2022 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), a total of 4,457 Chinese older adults (48.96% women, 51.04% men; aged 60–97 years, M = 73.5 years) were included. Institutional trust, depression (measured by the CES-D8 scale, Cronbach’s α = 0.751), social connectedness (single-item scale, 0–10 points), and life satisfaction (single-item scale, 1–5 points) were assessed through questionnaires. A multiple mediation model was tested via Model 6 of the PROCESS macro, with significance tested via 5,000 bootstrap resamples. After controlling for gender, age, and household registration status, the results indicated that (1) institutional trust was significantly directly associated with lower depression (β = -0.061, p < 0.001); (2) social connectedness (β = -0.069, p < 0.001) and life satisfaction (β = -0.217, p < 0.001) independently mediated the relationship between institutional trust and depression, accounting for 14.61% and 32.64% of the total effect, respectively; and (3) a sequential mediation pathway (institutional trust → social connectedness → life satisfaction → depression) accounted for 8.61% of the total effect. The multiple mediation model explained 55.79% of the total effect. These findings suggest that institutional trust is directly and indirectly associated with lower depression levels among Chinese older adults through both independent and sequential pathways involving social connectedness and life satisfaction. This study reveals a protective pathway of institutional trust through “institutional trust- social connectedness-life satisfaction,” providing a theoretical basis for interventions targeting depression in older adults.