Longitudinal examination of cognitive function in older adults after the death of a child

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between the death of a child and cognitive function, considering how this association varies with the timing and number of losses. Utilizing four waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, linear mixed models assessed the impact of child loss on cognition, while mediation analysis was conducted using the Karlson-Holm-Breen method. Findings indicate a detrimental effect of child loss on cognitive function, particularly for losses occurring before age 30 and after age 60. A dose-response relationship was noted, suggesting greater cognitive decline with increasing instances of child loss. Mediation analysis revealed that psychological distress, physical functioning limitations, and social engagement partly explain this link. Moreover, the negative effect was more significant in mothers. These insights underscore the need for targeted support and cognitive monitoring for bereaved parents.

Acknowledgments

I thank the CHARLS team of Peking University for collecting and publicizing the research data, and also thank all the participants and investigators involved in CHARLS survey.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors. The authors declare that this paper has not been published previously and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

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Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.