How does social support mediate the relationship between functional status and mental health among older adults in China? An exploration of the role of children's visits

OBJECTIVE: To examine the mediating role of social support, as outlined in the Convoy Model of Social Relations, in the association between functional status and mental health, with a focus on those with disabilities. METHODS: The study included 15,498 participants aged 65 to 105 years old from the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Spearman analysis and mediation analysis were performed. RESULTS: Social support was significantly positively correlated with mental health (p < 0.001), except for financial aid. Social support partially mediated the effect of functional status on mental health. Among those with disabilities, the frequency of children's visits mediated this relationship (effect = -0.009, 95 % CI:0.016 to -0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Social support mediated the relationship between functional status and mental health, with children's visits emerging as a more potent mediating factor compared to other types of support, particularly for those with disabilities.