AimThis study examines how multiple occupational attributes, including job satisfaction, occupational prestige, job stability, job decision authority, remuneration, and formal employment status, combine in relation to depressive symptoms among Chinese veterans.MethodsThis study employs fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to examine configurational associations, which is particularly suitable for outcomes shaped by multiple interacting conditions. Using data from the 2022 China Fam