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Fading authority, rising depression: occupational identity and mental health among China’s retired danwei leaders

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: leaders-individuals who formerly held leadership roles within China's state-affiliated work units-experience higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to other retirees. Using nationally representative data from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), we apply mixed-effects regression models to examine the association between occupational identity and depression, along with the underlying mechanisms. The results indicate that retired Danwei leaders exhibit significantly higher levels of depression, and this association appears to be linked to declining physical health and diminished interpersonal relationships following retirement. These findings offer new empirical evidence on the mental health implications of high-status occupational identity in post-retirement life and underscore the need for targeted mental health interventions and social support strategies for this vulnerable subgroup of older adults in China.

Source: Frontiers in Psychiatry

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1663695

Authors: Xubin Zhang, Yang Yang, Li He, Zihan Wang

Institutions: Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Central China Normal University, Beijing International Studies University

Language: English

Topic: Retirement, Disability, and Employment

Subfield: Demography

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801