Objective  To explore mediating effect of perceived social support on the correlation between parental attachment and depression among children.

  Methods  Using cluster sampling, we conducted a questionnaire survey among 2 721 students of 4 – 9 grade in a nine-year school in Hefei city of Anhui province. Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression – Short Form (CES-D10), and Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were adopted in the survey.

  Results  The mean depression score was 8.55 ± 4.7 for all the students; the mean depression score of the junior high school students (7 – 9 grade) was significantly higher than that of primary school students (4 – 6 grade) and no gender difference in the score was observed. Both the scores of mother attachment and father attachment of the primary school students were significanbtly higher than those of junior high school students and the girls′ scores were significantly higher than those of the boys. There was a significant difference in perceived social support scores among the students of different grade but there was no gender difference in the scores. There was a significant reverse associations of depression score with father attachment score (r = – 0.249), mother attachment t (r = – 0.261), and perceived social support score (r = – 0.316)(P < 0.01 for all). The effect of parental attachment on depression was partially mediated by perceived social support (Y = – 0.085, P < 0.001).

  Conclusion  Parental attachment can affect depression directly and indirectly through perceived social support among primary and junior high school students. Therefore, promoting perceived social support is conducive to reduce depression level among school children.