Relationship between children's educational attainment and parental depression among Indian elderly parents

Social network members play a crucial role in shaping one's health. Children can be considered the most proximal members of one's social network; thus, the upward transmission of human capital from children to parents could be expected. Using nationally representative data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI, 2017-2018), this study investigated the relationship between children's education and parental depression among Indian older parents. The study also explored gender differences and potential mediating factors in the relationship between children's education and parental depression. Children's education was found to be significantly associated with parental depression, meaning that parents of well-educated children had significantly lower odds of depression than their counterparts. The association between children's education and parental depression did not differ significantly depending on the parent's sex. Life satisfaction, self-rated health, and parents' health status were found to be significant mediators of the relationship between children's education and parental mental health. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that children's education might be a potential factor in shaping the mental health of elderly parents in India.