Intergenerational support, especially economic and emotional, significantly enhances the mental health of rural older adults in China, both directly and by influencing perceived intergenerational intimacy, but adherence to the traditional value of 'raising children for old-age support' weakens this positive effect by instrumentalizing parent-child relationships.
Emotional support from adult children significantly enhances mental health of rural older adults in China.
Economic support from adult children also significantly enhances mental health of rural older adults.
Adherence to the traditional value of 'raising children for old-age support' weakens the positive effect of intergenerational support on mental health.
Perceived intergenerational intimacy mediates the relationship between intergenerational support and mental health outcomes.
The effects of intergenerational support on mental health vary across regions and between genders among rural older adults.
Mental health problems among rural older adults in China are comparatively underexplored relative to their urban counterparts.
This research examined how support from adult children affects the mental health of older adults living in rural China. Researchers surveyed 975 people aged 60 and older in two rural counties—one economically prosperous area where people tend to move into (Kunshan, Jiangsu Province) and one poorer area where many people leave to find work elsewhere (Yudu, Jiangxi Province). They found that both financial support and emotional support from adult children improved the mental health of older parents, with emotional support having the stronger effect. Much of this benefit came through older adults feeling closer and more connected to their children, not just from the support itself. However, the study also found that a traditional Chinese cultural belief—that children should support their parents in old age as a repayment for being raised—actually reduced the mental health benefits of that support. When parent-child relationships are viewed through this transactional lens, the support feels more like an obligation being fulfilled than genuine care, which appears to diminish its positive impact on wellbeing. The research also found that the effects of children's support differed between men and women, and between older adults living in economically developed versus less developed rural areas. This research suggests that policies aimed at improving the mental wellbeing of rural older adults in China need to go beyond simply encouraging children to provide financial or emotional support. They should also account for regional economic differences and gender, and may need to address deeply held cultural values that can turn family relationships into transactional arrangements. Simply promoting intergenerational support without considering the relational and cultural context in which it occurs may limit its effectiveness for older adults' mental health.
Li Z, Wu Y, Jin S, Chen J. (2026). Intergenerational support and older adults mental health in rural China: evidence and policy implications.. Frontiers in public health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1780185