Which wound cuts deeper: loss of an only child or loss of a spouse? An examination of bereavement in older adults within a Chinese cultural context

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine whether the loss of spouse had similar impacts on psychological well-being as the loss of the only child, and whether the presence of one mitigated the absence of the other. METHODS: We used data from a 2013 survey conducted in Shanghai, China. The sample included 1,200 older adults aged 60+, and 200 adults aged 45+ who lost their only child. Psychological well-being consisted of three dimensions: depression, loneliness, and life satisfaction. We applied logistic regression models to assess the impact of loss of spouse or children on psychological well-being. We further tested whether the impact differed by gender and whether social support mediated the relationship. RESULTS: Participants who have at least one living child but lost their spouse had less psychological distress than those who have a living spouse but lost their only child. This effect appeared to be stronger in women than in men. Social support mediated the relationship between bereavement and loneliness among women. CONCLUSION: The findings suggested the loss of the only child is a more devastating event than the loss of spouse in Chinese adults. The loss of the only child is a major chronic stressor that has cumulative negative effect on psychological well-being.