Couple’s linked occupation trajectory and women’s depressive symptoms in later life: a multichannel sequence analysis from China

OBJECTIVES: While the impact of occupational trajectories on mental health disparities is well-established, the couple-based perspective of linked occupational trajectories remains underexplored. This study investigates the linked occupational trajectories of Chinese middle-aged and older couples and their association with women's depressive symptoms in later life. METHODS: Using five waves and life history survey data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this study analyzed a sample of 3,529 couples aged 50 and above. Multichannel sequence analysis with hierarchical clustering was applied to identify patterns of linked occupational histories. RESULTS: Ten distinct clusters of couples' occupational trajectories were identified: homogeneous dual-earner families (72.1%), male-advantaged dual-earner families (24.9%), and single-earner families (3%). Women in higher-status homogeneous dual-earner families (e.g., dual state-owned enterprises [SOE] or dual government employment), as well as those in gender-asymmetric families where agricultural wives were partnered with SOE- or government-employed husbands, had lower risks of depressive symptoms than women in dual agricultural families. No detectable mental health disadvantage was observed among women in single male-earner families. DISCUSSION: Later-life mental health disparities are shaped not only by women's individual occupational trajectories but also by the within-couple occupational asymmetries formed under China's evolving labor market structures. Policies that acknowledge and address unequal access to stable, higher-status employment may be particularly effective in promoting women's mental well-being in later life.