Is Unsolicited Support Protective or Destructive in Collectivistic Culture? Receipt of Unsolicited Job Leads and Depression in Urban China

Is receipt of unsolicited support—aid that is passively obtained without asking—protective or destructive in collectivistic culture? This study focuses on receipt of unsolicited job leads and examines competing hypotheses on its direct and indirect effects (through financial dissatisfaction) on depression using unique nationally representative data of working-age urban adults in China. Its direct effect should be negative from the distress-reducing perspective but positive from the distress-inducing perspective. Its indirect effect should be negative based on the stress prevention model but positive predicted by comparative reference group theory. Also, the reinforced collectivistic norm explanation expects the distress-reducing perspective and the stress prevention model to have stronger explanatory power in China. Results from path analysis support the distress-inducing perspective and comparative reference group theory. Receipt of unsolicited job leads is positively associated with depression partially through financial dissatisfaction in urban China.

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