The Effect of Subjective Socioeconomic Status on Well-Being Among Urban Elderly with Intergenerational Parenting: The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Support

Luo Xi^*Ping ZhangFan Xu^*Jing Wang^*ShaoJu Xie

• People’s Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, China

Objective This study aimed to examine the predictive role of subjective socioeconomic status (SSES) in the well-being of urban elderly engaged in intergenerational parenting, and to explore the mediating role of perceived social support in the relationship between SSES and satisfaction with life. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted using convenience sampling to recruit urban elderly residents from Deyang City who were involved in intergenerational caregiving. Data were collected through a series of standardized instruments, including a general information questionnaire, the Subjective Socioeconomic Status Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Perceived Social Support Scale. Pearson correlation analyses were performed using SPSS 26.0 to assess the relationships among SSS, life satisfaction, and perceived social support. Structural equation modeling via AMOS 26.0 was employed to analyze the mediating effect of perceived social support on the association between SSES and life satisfaction. Results The urban elderly with intergenerational dependence had an average SSES score of 13.52 ± 3.72, a perceived social support score of 58.43 ± 19.15, and a satisfaction with life score of 23.96 ± 5.24. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that SSES was positively correlated with satisfaction with life, and perceived social support was also positively correlated with satisfaction with life. Mediation analysis further indicated that perceived social support partially mediated the relationship between SSES and satisfaction with life, with a mediating effect of 0.086, accounting for 17.52% of the total effect. Conclusion The subjective socioeconomic status of urban elderly with intergenerational dependence was at a moderate-to-high level, their perceived social support was moderate, and their satisfaction with life was moderately high. SSES directly influenced satisfaction with life and also had an indirect effect through perceived social support. Families and society should provide sufficient support to the urban elderly engaged in intergenerational parenting and work to enhance their subjective socioeconomic status in order to improve their overall well-being.