This study evaluated the association between the special subsidy policy and the mental health of loss/disability-of-single-child parents (LCPs/DCPs) in China and found that accepting the special subsidy is inversely related to the mental health of LCPs and DCPs. In addition, accepting the subsidy is more inversely related to the mental health of LCPs than DCPs, of rural parents than urban parents, of male parents than female parents, and of loss/disability-of-single-son parents than loss/disability-of-single-daughter parents. According to taboo trade-off theory, we proposed several explanations for the finding and put forward some policy recommendations.
Keywords: China; Loss/disability-of-single-child parents; Mental health; Taboo trade-off; The special subsidy.