title: Depressive Symptoms Among Older Chinese Americans: Examining the Role of Acculturation and Family Dynamics.
abstract: This study identified the prevalence of depression and tested the influence of acculturation and family dynamics on depressive symptoms, among a community sample of older Chinese Americans.
  
  
  
  Data came from a survey of 385 Chinese Americans aged 55 and older (Mage = 72.4 years, SD = 8.7) living in a large metropolitan area in the American Southwest. The survey was administered in 2013 through face-to-face interviews. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 12-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale.
  
  
  
  Approximately 19.5% of the sample reported mild depressive symptoms and an additional 8.5% reported moderate depressive symptoms. Three-step hierarchical regression analyses indicated that smaller family support network size and more family conflict were risk factors for depressive symptoms. The effect of acculturation was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for family dynamics.
  
  
  
  Family support and conflict play a prominent role in explaining depressive symptoms among Chinese American older adults. The effect of acculturation is minimal when older adults have supportive families and good health. Interventions or services aimed at promoting family harmony for members of this population should be considered.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Michigan State University, East Lasing.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Arizona State University, Phoenix.
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Arizona State University, Phoenix.
authors.forename: Qilun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Arizona State University, Phoenix.|Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Hodge
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology