Abstract
Background
With shifting family structures and intensified population mobility, empty-nest seniors have emerged as a significant demographic in China’s aging society, necessitating urgent attention to their mental health. This study examines the impact of community participation on depression among empty-nest seniors and its underlying mechanisms, aiming to provide empirical evidence for developing targeted community intervention strategies and enhancing mental health services for this population.
Methods
Using data from the 2023 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), this study focused on the empty nesters cohort. It employed regression models and mediation analysis to examine the impact of community participation on depression and the mediating role of social networks.
Results
Findings indicate that active participation in community activities positively influences the reduction of depression among empty nesters. Friendship networks partially mediate this relationship, while family networks show no significant mediating effect.
Conclusion
Community participation primarily influences depression by expanding the size of friends’ networks among empty-nest seniors. Recommendations include optimizing community activity design, building substantive social networks, prioritizing senior health, establishing mental health support mechanisms, and implementing tailored community participation promotion strategies for empty-nest seniors with different characteristics.
Keywords: Empty nesters, Community participation, Social network, Depression levels, Mediating effect
Introduction
China’s population aging process continues to accelerate, characterized by massive scale, rapid development, and an urban-rural inversion. By the end of 2024, the population aged 60 and above reached 310 million, accounting for 22.0% of the total population, with those aged 65 and above constituting 15.6% [1]. Data from the Seventh National Population Census indicates that household sizes in China continue to shrink, with a significant rise in the proportion of single-person households and households consisting solely of older adults members, highlighting an increasingly pronounced trend of empty-nesting. As urbanization advances, the size of the empty nesters population continues to expand. According to data surveys [2], the proportion of empty nesters in China is currently very high, with over half of the older adults living in empty-nest or left-behind situations [3] In some major cities and rural areas, the proportion of empty-nest seniors even exceeds 70%. Due to the lack of daily companionship from their children, they are more prone to negative emotions such as loneliness and anxiety compared to non-empty-nest seniors. Against this backdrop, how to effectively enhance the mental health of empty-nest seniors through the community platform and improve their psychological well-being has become a crucial issue in implementing the national strategy for actively responding to population aging.The “14th Five-Year Plan for National Aging Development and Elderly Care Service System” explicitly advocates guiding seniors to embrace proactive health and lifelong development concepts, encouraging their active participation in social development [4], and building inclusive, harmonious age-friendly communities. The “Guiding Opinions on Supporting Elderly Social Participation to Promote Active Aging” further proposes mobilizing seniors to engage in volunteer services and guiding them to actively participate in community activities [5].
Academic circles have also conducted preliminary discussions on related topics. However, current research has paid relatively little attention to the mediating mechanisms of community participation on depression among older adults, particularly regarding the mechanisms of depression among socially vulnerable groups like empty-nest seniors. In terms of research content, most scholars tend to focus on the direct or heterogeneous effects of community participation on depression among older adults, with few studies analyzing and deeply exploring the underlying mechanisms or sources of depression between the two.
This study utilizes data from the 2023 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), focusing on empty nesters aged 60 and above. Employing baseline regression models and mediation effect models, it investigates the impact of community activity participation on depression among empty-nest seniors, with particular emphasis on the potential mediating role of social networks.Building on this, the study conducted a source analysis to provide empirical evidence and policy recommendations for relevant departments to develop targeted community intervention strategies and improve mental health service systems for empty-nest seniors.
Literature review and research hypotheses
Impact of community participation on depression levels among older adults
Community participation refers to the behavior of community residents acting as both subjects and objects in community management, engaging in community affairs [6]. It encompasses four dimensions: interacting with others without engaging in specific activities, participating in activities with others, assisting others, and contributing to society [7]. In this study, community participation primarily denotes the process of individuals proactively joining various community-organized activities and maintaining positive interactions with neighbors, relatives, friends, and other community members.It is grounded in localized interpersonal networks, resource support, and collective action, emphasizing interpersonal relationships and contact to help individuals regain a sense of value and belonging within their local environment. Such participation provides empty-nest seniors with social role reconstruction, emotional support, and community identity [8], and is effective in reducing loneliness [9, 10] and alleviating depressive symptoms [11], significantly improving mental health [12]. Simultaneously, according to role stress theory, community participation may require older adults to engage in diverse activities and assume multiple “roles.” Such role conflicts can increase psychological burdens and diminish life satisfaction [13], thereby further compromising mental health.
For a long time, scholars both domestically and internationally have conducted extensive theoretical explorations on the relationship between community participation and depression among older adults. Some scholars have pointed out that community participation can significantly improve older adults’ physical health and reduce the risk of depressive symptoms [14, 15]. Others have noted that while participating in community mutual aid activities can enhance older adults’ physical health, it simultaneously lowers their mental health levels and increases their depression severity [16]. Additionally, studies have found that different types of community participation exert varying effects on older adults depression [17].
Mediating role of social networks
Social networks serve as vital conduits for social support. The social relationship escort model posits that these networks evolve based on individuals’ life circumstances. Functioning like escorts, these relational networks provide essential social support during aging, helping individuals cope with various stresses associated with aging [18]. According to social causation theory, extensive social networks offer diverse forms of social support, directly fulfilling older adults’ needs for belonging and security. This effectively buffers psychological impacts from stressful life events such as illness or bereavement [19]. Enhanced social interaction can significantly alleviate depression in older adults [20]. The size, type, and quality of social networks significantly influence depression and loneliness among older adults [21]. Poor network quality directly contributes to negative emotions like depression [22]. Community participation also creates regular social interaction opportunities for older adults, enabling them to connect with neighbors, peers, and other community members. These relationships can evolve from acquaintanceships into friendships, involvement effectively broadening the scope of their social networks [23]. Simultaneously, deep in community affairs or sustained activities helps foster shared experiences and a sense of belonging among older members.Specifically, social engagement mitigates depression by enhancing older adults’ social networks, social adaptation, and life satisfaction [24]. Through community participation, empty-nest seniors reshape their social interaction environments and structures, strengthening their social networks. These networks then become enduring resources against psychological risks, ultimately controlling depression vulnerability by providing daily companionship, emotional support, and practical assistance.
Based on the theoretical framework outlined above, as shown in Fig. 1, this study constructs the following conceptual model: Path a, the effect of community participation on social networks; Path b, the effect of social networks on depression among empty-nest seniors; Path c, the total effect of community participation on depression among empty-nest seniors; Path c’, the direct effect of community participation on depression among empty-nest seniors when social networks serve as mediators.
Fig. 1.
Conceptual Model
Synthesizing these theories, community participation may enhance mental health by expanding social networks and providing support, yet may also generate stress if activities become alienating role burdens. Based on this, this study proposes a set of competing hypotheses to examine the net effect of community participation on depression among China’s empty nesters, with social networks serving as a potential key mediating pathway. Given data availability, this study primarily investigates the mediating role of social network size. The following hypotheses are proposed:
H1a: Participation in community activities reduces depression among empty nesters.
H1b: Participation in community activities increases depression among empty nesters.
H2: The size of social networks partially mediates the relationship between community participation and depression among empty nesters.
Research design
Data source
This study analyzes data from the 2023 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), designed by the Institute of Gerontology at Renmin University of China. The survey employed stratified multistage probability sampling (PPS) covering 28 provincial-level administrative units nationwide (excluding Hainan, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan).The study population comprised empty nesters aged 60 and above in China. “Empty nesters” were defined as individuals aged ≥ 60 who did not reside with their children (including those without children or whose children lived in different locations). The initial sample size for this data release reached 11,670. After removing missing values, the final dataset included 7,369 empty nesters participants.
Research methods
Data analysis employed statistical software including SPSS 26.0 and Stata 17.0, utilizing regression analysis and mediation effect analysis to explore the impact and extent of community participation on depression among empty-nest seniors.
Variable setup
Dependent variable: depression level
The dependent variable was depression among empty nesters. Following existing research [15, 25], depression were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) short form, revised by Silverstein et al [26]. The questionnaire’s depression section for older adults included: (1) six negative emotions: loneliness, low mood, poor appetite, poor sleep, feeling useless, and difficulty concentrating; (2) three positive emotions: feeling hopeful about the future, feeling cheerful, and finding life interesting.Positive emotions are reverse-scored and summed. The nine items are rated on a three-point scale, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 18, where higher scores indicate greater depression among older adults.
Independent variable: participation in community activities
The dependent variable in this study is community activity participation. Drawing on existing research [27–29], we measure older adults’ community engagement using seven community activities from the CLASS data.These seven activities include: (1) Community safety patrols (2) Caring for other seniors/children (3) Environmental sanitation protection (4) Mediating neighborhood disputes (5) Companionship and conversation (6) Volunteer services (7) Caring for the education of the next generation. If an older adult participated in any one of these activities, they were considered engaged in community activities and assigned a value of 1; otherwise, they were assigned a value of 0.
Mediating variable: social networks
The mediating variable in this study is social network. Drawing on existing research, the Social Network Scale developed by Lubben et al. [30] was used to measure older adults’ social networks.The scale inquires about the number of relatives and friends whom older adults can meet or contact, confide in about personal matters, and seek assistance from when needed. It comprises two sections: family network and friend network. The family network includes: 1) How many family members/relatives can you meet or contact at least once a month? 2) How many family members/relatives can you confide in about personal matters? 3) How many family members/relatives can provide assistance when needed? The friendship network includes: (1) How many friends can you meet or contact at least once a month? (2) How many friends can you confidently discuss personal matters with? (3) How many friends can provide assistance when needed? Each section comprises three items scored on a 6-point scale, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 15. Higher scores indicate a larger social network among older adults.
Control variables
Referencing existing studies [31, 32], the control variables in this study primarily include the respondent’s age, gender, place of residence, marital status, political affiliation, number of surviving children, self-rated health, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and number of chronic diseases.
Among the 7,369 respondents in this study, males accounted for 52.8% and females for 47.2%. Table 1 presents the basic information of the study variables, including descriptive statistics and variable assignments.Overall, among the 7,369 respondents, the average depression level among the older adults reached 6.27 points. Nearly one-third (29.4%) of empty-nest seniors participated in community activities during the survey period. The size of the family network among the surveyed older adults was slightly larger than that of their friendship network. Regarding the control variables in this study, the average age of the older adults was 71.82 years; with a slightly higher proportion of males; 57.2% resided in towns; 87.1% were married; 97.0% were ordinary citizens; the average number of surviving children was 2.00; self-rated health as poor, fair, and good accounted for 5.6%, 33.1%, and 61.3%, respectively; the average self-care ability level among interviewed empty-nest seniors was relatively high; and the average number of chronic diseases among this population was 1.63.
Table 1.
Basic variable information
| Variable Name | Variable Assignment | Min | Max | Mean | Standard Deviation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | Continuous variable, current respondent’s depression score (points) | 0 | 18 | 6.27 | 3.43 |
| Community participation | Dummy variable, non-participation = 0, participation = 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.29 | 0.46 |
| Family Network | Continuous variable, respondent’s household network size (points) | 0 | 15 | 7.34 | 2.54 |
| Friends network | Continuous variable, respondent’s friend network size (points) | 0 | 15 | 6.71 | 2.91 |
| Age | Continuous variable, calendar age of the current respondent | 60 | 102 | 71.82 | 5.56 |
| Gender | Dummy variable, female = 0, male = 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.53 | 0.50 |
| Place of residence | Dummy variable, rural = 0, urban = 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.57 | 0.50 |
| Marital Status | Dummy variable, no spouse = 0, spouse = 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.87 | 0.34 |
| Political Affiliation | Dummy variable: Communist Party member = 1, Democratic Party member = 2, Masses = 3 | 1 | 3 | 2.94 | 0.34 |
| Number of living children | Continuous variable, number of respondents’ surviving children (persons) | 0 | 9 | 2.00 | 1.13 |
| Self-rated health | Dummy variable: Poor = 0, Fair = 1, Good = 2 | 0 | 2 | 1.56 | 0.60 |
| ADL | Continuous variable, current respondent’s self-care ability (points) | 0 | 11 | 10.79 | 0.90 |
| Number of chronic diseases | Continuous variable, number of chronic diseases (types) | 0 | 23 | 1.63 | 1.40 |
Model specification
First, to examine the direct effect of community participation on depression among empty-nest seniors, the following model is specified:
 |
1 |
In Eq. (1), Depression represents the depression level of the research subjects, participation is the independent variable indicating community participation, controls are other control variables,
is the intercept term,
and
are the regression coefficients, and
is the error term.
Second, mediation analysis was conducted using stepwise regression, adopting the “two-step method” proposed by Wen Zhonglin and Ye Baojuan [33] to examine whether community participation influences depression among China’s empty nesters through social networks. The significance of the mediating effect was further tested using Bootstrap sampling with replacement (5000 repeated samples), with the following model specified:
 |
2 |
 |
3 |
 |
4 |
The coefficient c in Eq. (2) represents the total effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable; the coefficient a in Eq. (3) reflects the impact of community participation on the mediating variable social network; the coefficient b in Eq. (4) indicates the effect of the mediating variable social network on depression after controlling for community participation levels; the coefficient c’ measures the direct effect of community participation on depression after controlling for social network; e1 ཞe3 represents the regression residuals.
Empirical analysis
Baseline regression
This study employed SPSS 26 and Stata 17 software to analyze the impact of community participation levels on depression among empty nesters using multiple regression models. The regression results are presented in Table 2. Prior to the benchmark regression, multicollinearity tests were conducted, with variance inflation factors (VIF) ranging between 1 and 2 (VIF < 10), indicating no multicollinearity issues in the model.In further analysis: Model 1 was constructed with depression as the dependent variable, community participation level as the independent variable, and controlling for relevant variables, to examine the effect of community participation on depression among empty-nest seniors. Model 2 was established with social network quality as the dependent variable, community participation level as the independent variable, and controlling for variables, to analyze the impact of community participation on social network quality.Model 3 examined the mediating effect of social networks on the relationship between community participation and depression, using depression as the dependent variable, community participation levels and social networks as independent variables, and incorporating control variables. Regression results revealed a significant positive correlation between community participation and depression, indicating that empty-nest seniors participating in community activities exhibited higher depression (P < 0.001).Participation in community activities promotes the size of social networks among empty-nest seniors, particularly friend networks (P < 0.001). Model 3 indicates that friend networks within social networks significantly mediate the relationship between community participation and depression among empty-nest seniors (P < 0.01).The age, place of residence, marital status, number of surviving children, self-rated health status, self-care ability, and number of chronic diseases among empty nesters are significantly correlated with depression. Older age, rural residence, being unmarried, having more children, poorer health status, and having more chronic diseases are associated with higher levels of depression among empty nesters.
Table 2.
Baseline regression results
| Variable Name | Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | Social Network | Depression Level | ||
| Family Network | Friends Network | |||
| Community participation | 0.834*** | 0.961*** | 1.453*** | 0.788*** |
| Household Internet | -0.029 | |||
| Friends Network | 0.050** | |||
| Age | 0.042*** | -0.013* | -0.024*** | 0.042*** |
| Gender | -0.060 | -0.031 | 0.046 | -0.063 |
| Place of Residence | -0.743 | -0.411*** | -0.099 | -0.750*** |
| Marital Status | -1.155*** | 0.629*** | 0.049 | -1.139*** |
| Political Affiliation | 0.124 | -0.016 | -0.016 | 0.124 |
| Number of Living Children | 0.246*** | 0.391*** | 0.274*** | 0.244*** |
| Self-Rated Health | -1.202*** | 0.100* | 0.153** | -1.207*** |
| ADL | -0.344*** | -0.043 | -0.104** | -0.029*** |
| Number of chronic diseases | 0.131*** | 0.123*** | 0.081** | 0.131*** |
***, P<0.001; **, P<0.01; *, P<0.05
Analysis of the mediating effect of friendship networks
To examine the mediating effect of friendship networks between community participation and depression among empty nesters, this study employed causal stepwise regression analysis. The regression results are presented in Table 3; Fig. 2. As shown in Model 1 of Table 3, participation in community activities significantly reduces depression among empty nesters. Furthermore, community participation helps expand their social networks, and an expanded friendship network weakens the association between community participation levels and depression among empty nesters.
Table 3.
Testing the mediating effect of friendship networks
| Variable Name | Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | Friends Network | Depression | |
| Community participation | 0.834*** | 1.453*** | 0.785*** |
| Friends Network | 0.034* | ||
| Control Variables | YES | YES | YES |
| cons | 9.013*** | 8.274*** | 8.734*** |
| R2 | 0.146 | 0.066 | 0.145 |
***, P<0.001; **, P<0.01; *, P<0.05
Fig. 2.
Mediating model of friendship networks on community activity participation and depression levels among empty nesters
To enhance the robustness of the mediation effect testing in this study, the Bootstrap method was employed for further validation. The model was subjected to 5000 Bootstrap random samples, with results presented in Table 4. Table 4 indicates that the total effect of community participation on depression among empty-nest seniors is 0.834, confirming a positive influence of community participation on depression severity. Concurrently, the indirect effect of friendship networks between community participation and depression is 0.049, signifying that friendship networks exert a significant mediating role between these variables, with a mediation effect ratio of 5.88%.
Table 4.
Bootstrap test for the mediating effect of friendship networks
| Effect | Effect Size | Bootstrap Standard Error | Lower Confidence Limit | Upper Bound of Confidence Interval | Relative Effect Ratio/% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct effect | 0.785*** | 0.085 | 0.619 | 0.951 | 94.12 |
| Indirect effect | 0.049*** | 0.019 | 0.013 | 0.086 | 5.88 |
| Total Effect | 0.834*** | 0.083 | 0.672 | 0.996 |
***, P<0.001; **, P<0.01; *, P<0.05
Robustness analysis
To validate the robustness of the research model, the core explanatory variable was replaced and the sample size was altered before conducting regression analysis. The core independent variable “participation in community activities” was replaced with “frequency of community participation.” For sample size variation, the top 80% of the sample was used for robustness testing. The robustness results are presented in Table 5.Table 5 indicates that the regression results after replacing the core explanatory variable align with those in Table 2. Participation in community activities significantly positively influences the reduction of depression among empty nesters. The direction of the regression coefficient also corresponds with the previous regression analysis results. Similarly, the results remain consistent after altering the sample size, demonstrating that this empirical model possesses a certain degree of robustness.
Table 5.
Robustness test results
| Variable Name | Replacing Core Explanatory Variables | Changing Sample Size | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | Friends Network | Depression | Depression | Friends Network | Depression | |
| Activity Participation Frequency | 0.129*** | 0.133*** | 0.125*** | |||
| Participation in community activities | 0.895*** | 1.345*** | 0.851*** | |||
| Friends network | 0.032* | 0.032* | ||||
| Age | 0.044*** | −0.027*** | 0.045*** | 0.047*** | −0.027*** | 0.048*** |
| Gender | −0.063 | 0.046 | −0.065 | −0.045 | 0.078 | −0.048 |
| Place of residence | −0.760*** | −0.082 | −0.758*** | −0.762*** | −0.063 | −0.760*** |
| Marital Status | −1.173*** | 0.059 | −1.175*** | −1.066*** | 0.203 | −1.072*** |
| Political Affiliation | 0.141 | −0.073 | 0.143 | 0.220 | −0.058 | 0.222 |
| Number of Living Children | 0.235*** | 0.258*** | 0.226*** | 0.255*** | 0.194*** | 0.248*** |
| Self-Rated Health | −1.236*** | 0.124* | −1.240*** | −1.246*** | 0.188** | −1.252*** |
| ADL | −0.322*** | −0.104** | −0.319*** | −0.374*** | −0.117** | −0.370*** |
| Number of chronic diseases | 0.114*** | 0.072** | 0.112*** | −0.001 | 0.063* | −0.003 |
***, P<0.001; **, P<0.01; *, P<0.05
Analysis of sources of effects
The baseline regression analysis in this study revealed that community participation is generally associated with higher levels of depression. To further explore the specific reasons behind this phenomenon, this section conducted an analysis of the sources of effects. See Table 6 for details.
Table 6.
Source of effects analysis
| Type of Community Participation | Depression |
|---|---|
| Neighborhood Watch Patrol | 0.325*** |
| Caring for Others | 0.744*** |
| Environmental Sanitation Protection | 0.435*** |
| Mediation of Neighborhood Disputes | 0.788*** |
| Accompanying for conversation | 0.301*** |
| Volunteer Services | 0.801*** |
| Caring for Children’s Education | 0.732*** |
***, P<0.001; **, P<0.01; *, P<0.05
Regression results indicate that each activity within community participation significantly positively influences the depression of empty nesters. Among these, participating in volunteer services requiring specialized skills has the most pronounced effect on depression, followed by caring for others and caring for children’s education (excluding one’s own grandchildren).Research indicates [34] that different activity types exert varying effects on depression. Caring for patients may increase depression among older adults volunteers, potentially due to the substantial energy and time demands leading to role overload [35].
Discussion
This study utilizes cross-sectional data from the 2023 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey, employing regression models and mediation analysis to examine the impact of community participation on depression among empty-nest seniors and the underlying mechanisms of different social networks. Building on baseline regression results, we conducted a source-of-effect analysis and, integrating data findings with existing theories, explored the following insights.
This study finds that community participation correlates with higher depression among empty-nest seniors, contradicting most existing literature [36]. This discrepancy may stem from the current tendency toward “formalized” community activities and seniors’ “passive participation” status. Self-determination theory indicates [37] that when actions lack autonomy, competence, and relatedness—three fundamental psychological needs—they not only fail to promote well-being but may also induce frustration and stress.Many community activities may be designed primarily to meet higher-level metrics or community management needs, failing to genuinely address older adults’ intrinsic needs. If community participation does not align with older adults’ actual needs and capabilities, its psychological benefits are significantly diminished [7]. The community activities measured in this study, such as neighborhood watch patrols, mediating neighborhood disputes, and environmental sanitation protection, often carry a degree of public service nature.Analysis of the sources of effects revealed that all activity types showed a positive correlation with depression. Activities involving significant responsibility and strong altruism, such as volunteering and caring for others, exhibited particularly pronounced effects. This aligns with role stress theory. Empty-nest seniors themselves are a group requiring support. If they excessively assume the “support provider” role without sufficient reciprocity or autonomy, it can lead to role overload and emotional exhaustion [38], ultimately neglecting their own psychological needs.
Older adults with poorer health and chronic illnesses exhibit higher levels of depression. Community engagement is associated with increased depression incidence, suggesting that diminished mental health among empty-nest seniors may stem not only from community participation but also from their underlying health conditions. For those with chronic illnesses, treatment demands prolonged time and substantial costs. This is particularly true for empty-nest seniors managing multiple chronic conditions, where the diseases themselves, coupled with their economic burdens and psychological pressures, significantly impact mental well-being, severely impacting their psychological well-being [39]. Furthermore, certain medications used to treat chronic diseases, such as beta-blockers and sulfonamide drugs, may have pharmacological effects potentially linked to the development of mental health issues like depression. This medication-related risk further increases the mental health vulnerabilities among older adults with chronic diseases [40].
The friendship network partially mediated the relationship between community participation and depression among empty-nest seniors, while the family network did not significantly mediate this relationship. Thus, Hypothesis H2 was only partially validated. Interaction with friends did not significantly alleviate depression among the older adults, consistent with findings by Li et al. [41] Community participation increased interpersonal interactions but may have also introduced potential negative effects.This may stem from the fact that friendships or relationships formed through community activities often remain superficial, limited to casual acquaintances. Research indicates that the beneficial effect on depression off when individuals have more than two friends [42]. Maintaining such extensive yet low-quality social networks may require greater mental effort from older adults, potentially leading to social fatigue.Furthermore, social comparison tendencies prompt older adults to evaluate their living conditions [43], financial status, health levels, and children’s achievements against others. Such comparisons often create psychological gaps, undermining self-esteem, exacerbating depressive feelings, and harming physical and mental health [44]. Simultaneously, closer neighborhood interactions may also bring interpersonal friction and conflicts. For instance, mediating neighborhood disputes itself can be a source of stress. Older adults facing negative emotions may be more susceptible to being assimilated by such negative sentiments compared to others, thereby intensifying the generation of negative emotions.
In response, we recommend that communities optimize activity design by respecting seniors’ preferences and genuinely addressing their psychological needs or intrinsic motivations. This involves avoiding excessive “task-oriented” and “formality-driven” approaches, reducing passive participation in quasi-public affairs, and encouraging seniors to engage in social activities and community development based on their consent [45] Respecting seniors’ personal preferences and ideas, granting them greater autonomy, and enhancing their sense of fulfillment and satisfaction during participation are essential. Concurrently, prioritizing the health of empty-nest seniors is indispensable. Communities can introduce professional social workers and counselors to conduct regular mental health screenings and group counseling, providing emotional support and stress management assistance. Alleviating mental strain and negative emotions among empty-nest seniors [46] can significantly improve their quality of life.Furthermore, building substantive social networks is indispensable. When organizing activities, communities should prioritize fostering a social atmosphere of trust and mutual assistance, promoting stable and deep group cooperative relationships. This can be achieved through establishing neighborhood mutual aid groups, activating residents’ agency [47], facilitating emotional support and tangible assistance, and avoiding the psychological burden that superficial interactions may bring.
This study has the following limitations. First, the cross-sectional data used precludes establishing strict causal relationships; future research could employ longitudinal data or field investigations for deeper causal exploration.Second, the measurement of “community participation” in this study is relatively broad, failing to distinguish more nuanced dimensions such as participation duration, proactivity, and subjective experience. Future research could introduce more refined measurement indicators to deeply analyze key factors influencing the quality of community participation.Finally, this study older adults did not employ heterogeneity analysis, thus failing to distinguish the actual psychological states of different older adults populations. Future research could focus on groups with varying characteristics to gain deeper insights into the intrinsic feelings and genuine needs of different types of empty-nest seniors regarding community participation.
Conclusion
This study examined the relationship between community participation, social networks, and depression among empty-nest seniors.We found that community participation did not significantly reduce depression among empty-nest seniors as anticipated by some existing studies. Instead, it exhibited a significant negative impact on their mental health: seniors participating in community activities showed higher depression. Moreover, all types of community activities exerted a positive influence on depression, with the most pronounced effects observed in activities involving strong responsibilities and pronounced altruism, such as volunteering and caring for others.Friendship networks partially mediated the relationship between community participation and depression, while family networks showed no significant mediating effect. Moreover, expanding friendship networks did not effectively alleviate depression among empty-nest seniors; instead, it was associated with a slight increase in depression to some extent.These findings may reveal tendencies toward “formalization” and “task-oriented approaches” in China’s current community-based eldercare services and activity organization. Empty-nest seniors may face issues such as passive participation, role overload, and emotional exhaustion during engagement. If community participation fails to genuinely align with seniors’ intrinsic needs and preferences, it not only struggles to fulfill its intended mental health promotion function but may also transform into a new stressor, exacerbating depression risks among the older adults.
Acknowledgements
None.
Data statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Abbreviations
- CLASS
China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey
- ADL
Activities of Daily Living
- CES-D
Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
Authors’ contributions
Yijie Wang conceived, designed, and wrote the article; Jinyi Lang conceived and designed the article; Yikunxiao Meng, Weiheng Sun, Yutian Wei, Jialiang Liu and Qiong Wu reviewed the literature; Bin Hu was responsible for quality control and proofreading of the article.
Funding
None.
Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
In this study, all the procedures involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration as well as its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This study does not contain any procedures involving animals performed by any of the authors. All participants in this study signed individual informed consent forms, and the study protocol was approved by the Ethics Review Committee of Renmin University of China with approval number L20250106.
Consent for publication
Not applicable. The manuscript contains neither identifiable information nor images of participants. This paper has not been published elsewhere nor is under consideration for publication. All authors agree to submit the manuscript and to transfer copyright to the publisher, if the manuscript is accepted.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Footnotes
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Yijie Wang, Jinyi Lang, Yikunxiao Meng, Weiheng Sun, Yutian Wei, Jialiang Liu, Qiong Wu and Bin Hu contributed equally to this work.
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Associated Data
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Data Availability Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.