Associations between personal social capital and depressive symptoms: Evidence from a probability sample of urban residents in China

Background: Rapid socioeconomic changes in China present a mental health challenge and also an opportunity to investigate the relationship between social capital and depression. Materials and methods: Participants (18-45 years old, N = 1,250) were selected using a probability sampling method. The relationship between social capital (measured using the Personal Social Capital Scale) and depression (measured using the Brief Symptom Inventory Depression Subscale) was examined using bivariate analysis, followed by multiple regression to control for covariates. Results: Of the total sample, 54.64% were female with mean age = 35.1 (standard deviation (SD) = 7.5) years old. Depression score was 10.40 (SD = 3.62) for males and 10.36 (SD) = 3.30) for females. The social capital measures (including the total, bonding and bridging) were all negatively associated with depression scores, while the negative social capital was positively associated, after controlling for covariates. Subgroup analysis revealed some differences in the social capital-depression associations. Conclusion: The protective effect of social capital for mental health reported in other countries is also evident in this study. In addition, we found a positive association between negative social capital and depression. In addition to adding new knowledge, findings of this study, if verified with longitudinal design, can be used to support social and behavioral interventions in China to promote mental health by social capital enhancement.