Objectives:　The　life　course　perspective　on　mental　health　suggests　the　link　between　childhood　socioeconomic　status　(SES)　and　depression　in　later　life,　yet　current　pathway　models　can＇t　fully　explain　the　link.　The　present　study　explored　the　relationship　between　childhood　SES　and　depressive　symptoms　in　mid-　and　late　life　and　the　mediation　role　of　parenting　styles　among　the　Chinese　population.　Methods:　Based　on　data　from　the　China　Health　and　Retirement　Longitudinal　Study　(CHARLS)　in　2011-2020,　a　prospective　cohort　study　including　7,632　participants　was　performed.　The　outcome　was　depressive　symptoms.　Parenting　styles　included　parental　responsiveness　and　parental　demandingness.　Cox　regression　models　and　the　multiple　mediation　analysis　approach　were　applied.　Results:　Lower　childhood　SES　was　associated　with　a　higher　hazard　of　depressive　symptoms　in　mid‑　and　late　life　compared　to　higher　SES　(hazard　ratios,　HR:　1.15;　95%　CI:　1.06-1.24);　higher　parental　responsiveness　was　associated　with　a　lower　hazard　of　depressive　symptoms　(HR:　0.92;　95%　CI:　0.88-0.96),　while　higher　parental　demandingness　was　associated　with　a　higher　hazard　(HR:　1.08;　95%　CI:　1.04-1.12).　Gender-　and　residence-specific　associations　between　parental　responsiveness　and　depressive　symptoms　were　observed.　Parenting　styles　explained　8.1%　of　the　total　effects　of　childhood　SES　on　mid‑　and　late-life　depressive　symptoms.　Discussion:　Parenting　styles　may　be　an　important　mediator　in　the　association　between　childhood　SES　and　depression　in　mid-　and　late　life.　This　study　suggests　that　depression　prevention　strategies　should　be　taken　from　a　life　course　perspective　and　that　more　focus　should　be　put　on　the　promotion　of　parenting,　especially　for　those　with　low　SES.　　©　2025　The　Author(s).