Study on the influence of trauma-informed music intervention on emotional adjustment and social adaptability of children exposed to pediatric trauma.

The predominant residential pattern in traditional Chinese society was multigenerational cohabitation. Under this arrangement, adult children living with their parents typically bear the primary responsibility for older adult care. Simultaneously, traditional ethical concepts rooted in Confucianism exerted a profound disciplinary influence on individual behavior, enabling the intergenerational cohabitation model to persist widely and enduringly. Confucian thought not only emphasized reverence for older adults but also explicitly stipulated the moral obligation for children to live with their aging parents and fulfill their duty of support (, ). Thus, the intergenerational cohabitation family structure effectively aligns with the older population’s care needs, making the family the cornerstone of the eldercare service system. Consequently, within the family sphere, the residential arrangements of the older adults directly determine their access to family support and social resources, significantly impacting their mental health (). However, with the deepening of social modernization, the acceleration of population aging, and the dramatic transformation of family structures, the number of “empty-nest families” composed of older adult couples or solitary seniors continues to rise (). Living apart from adult children has become the norm for the older population, leading to an increasingly severe imbalance between the supply and demand for eldercare. Potential financial disputes and emotional estrangement between older adult parents and their children can easily evolve into significant triggers for negative emotions on both sides. According to the China Elderly Quality of Life Development Report (2019) () released by the China Research Center for Aging, only 33% of older adult people nationwide self-assess their health as good. Mental health not only directly affects the older population’s attitude toward life and satisfaction but also influences their physical health through mind–body interaction mechanisms, ultimately determining the overall quality of life in their later years. As a relatively vulnerable group with poorer health in society, the older population, especially the very old, face dual challenges to their physical and mental well-being. Entering old age, individuals must not only cope with the natural decline of physiological functions but also adapt to profound shifts in family and social roles. Failure to meet their material security and emotional comfort needs can easily trigger various mental health issues. Given this, why should intergenerational living arrangements be prioritized? This is because seniors’ housing arrangements not only determine their access to and utilization of eldercare resources (), but also significantly influence their perceived convenience and comfort (). Therefore, they profoundly impact their mental health. This logic reveals that older population housing arrangements directly constrain the effectiveness of children’s support for their parents, with the level of “upward support” provided by children emerging as a key determinant of the older population’s mental health. Currently, as China’s society continues to age, the trend of older adult parents living apart from their children is becoming increasingly pronounced. Against this backdrop, the residential distance between children and their older adult parents not only directly constrains the accessibility of support behaviors such as emotional comfort, financial provision, and daily care, but also profoundly impacts the mental health of the older population. Therefore, in-depth exploration of the impact of intergenerational residential distance on the mental health of the older population and its underlying mechanisms holds significant theoretical and practical importance. This research not only helps accurately grasp the mental health landscape of the older population across different residential distances and clarify the mediating effect of children’s “upward intergenerational support,” but also provides scientific evidence for enhancing the quality of life in old age and promoting the high-quality development of China’s healthy aging initiatives.