COVID-19 infection, resilience, and depressive symptoms: the protective role of family functioning for aging Chinese adults in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVES

Older adults are at an elevated risk of experiencing long COVID, with post-COVID-19 depressive symptoms being prevalent. However, the protective factors against this remain understudied. This study examined (a) the role of resilience in the association between COVID-19 infection and depressive symptoms in aging adults; (b) the moderating role of family functioning in the relationships between COVID-19 and resilience and between resilience and depressive symptoms; and (c) potential gender differences in the moderation.

METHOD

Data were drawn from the first wave of the Panel Study of Active Ageing and Society, a representative survey of Hong Kong adults aged 50 or above. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

Approximately 35% of the participants had tested positive for COVID-19. Resilience significantly mediated the association between COVID-19 infection and post-COVID-19 depressive symptoms ( < 0.001). Family functioning was a significant moderator: the COVID-19-resilience association was stronger, and the resilience-depressive symptoms association was weaker among participants with higher family functioning. The moderating role of family functioning was more salient in women than in men.

CONCLUSION

Resilience can protect aging adults from post-COVID-19 depressive symptoms. Interventions for enhancing family functioning may promote the formation of resilience, especially among older women.