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Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Mood Disorders | Research article

Feeling matters: perceived social support moderates the relationship between personal relative deprivation and depressive symptoms

Authors: Sibo Zhao, Li Peng

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Background

Little research describes the mechanisms underlying depressive symptoms and personal relative deprivation in Chinese populations.

Methods

In this study, the respondents were (N = 914) residents of Beijing (17–59 years old) and robust multiple linear regressions were used to assess the main relationship between relative deprivation and depressive symptoms and social support as a potential moderator for that relationship.

Results

Individuals who reported higher personal relative deprivation had greater depressive symptoms than those who reported lower personal relative deprivation. Perceived social support buffered the relationship between depressive symptoms and personal relative deprivation.

Conclusions

The findings of this current study demonstrate the importance of relative deprivation for psychological strain and income in explaining how socioeconomic indices correlate with depressive symptoms. They also demonstrate the need to acknowledge the interaction of perceived social support and personal relative deprivation for influencing depression.
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Metadata
Title
Feeling matters: perceived social support moderates the relationship between personal relative deprivation and depressive symptoms
Authors
Sibo Zhao
Li Peng
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03334-8

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