How does social support mediate the relationship between functional status and mental health among older adults in China? An exploration of the role of children's visits.

Objective: To examine the mediating role of social support, as outlined in the Convoy Model of Social Relations, in the association between functional status and mental health, with a focus on those with disabilities.

Methods: The study included 15,498 participants aged 65 to 105 years old from the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Spearman analysis and mediation analysis were performed.