In this study, using SHARE data we examined whether the education of adult children is associated with depressive symptoms (EURO-D caseness) for older immigrants and nonimmigrants in Europe. After controlling for possible confounders, we found that the education of adult children has independent effects on the mental health of their parents, and that having children with upper secondary or tertiary levels of education significantly lessen the odds of immigrants experiencing depressive symptoms. Furthermore, regular contact between parents and their adult children exerts a positive influence as well as amplifying the relationship between children's education and mental health. Taken together, the results demonstrate that, were it not for family social capital, older immigrants might experience much worse mental health outcomes. © 2016 Hogrefe.

Adult children Education aging migrants Europe Mental health

male controlled study female causal attribution depression educational status social capital priority journal Aged child parent relation Europe Article mental health human social participation migrant aging psychological well being