照顾孙辈的成就感、满足感与快乐的量表

Background and Objectives Grandparents are key resources in grandchildren care globally. However, mixed findings indicated that multiple role engagement may enhance well-being and bring demands on grandparent caregivers in different contexts. This systematic review examines the association between the intensity of grandparent caregiving and their health and well-being (i.e., physical, mental, cognitive, and life satisfaction) by continent and country/region. Research Design and Methods Systematic searches were conducted in 4 databases. Peer-reviewed articles with quantitative designs published between 1990 and November 2021 were identified. A rigorous selection process was followed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The studies were critically appraised, and their results were narratively synthesized. Results Sixty-five articles from 29 countries/regions were included. Findings suggested a concave curvilinear relationship between the intensity of grandparent caregiving and their health and well-being, with the optimal caregiving intensity varying across sociocultural contexts. In Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, and South America, providing supplementary or occasional care seems beneficial for grandparents’ health and well-being, especially supporting dual-earner families. In East Asia, economic resources appear to buffer the adverse effect of primary care on grandparents’ well-being. In the United States, findings vary across ethnicity/race. Discussion and Implications Collectively, the intensity of grandparent caregiving, health, and well-being is complicated by grandparents’ roles in the family and cultural differences. Acknowledging the bidirectional relationship between well-being and grandparents’ capacity for providing care, the well-being as outcome is a limitation. Despite so, this systematic review calls for culturally-tailored family programs to support grandparent caregiving.

… grandparents would benefit from an intervention that (at least in part) focuses on developing an authoritative caregiving style and learning to recognize the benefits of … scales were used. …

Objective The purpose of the present study is twofold: (1) to investigate the differences in terms of physical and mental health between those who provide grandparental care and those who do not and (2) to explore the mechanism that connects grandparental caregiving and health-related outcomes. Methods Two studies (a cross-sectional and a short-term longitudinal follow-up) were conducted. The cross-sectional study (Study 1) examined 148 older adults who provided grandparental care and another 150 older adults who did not. A small longitudinal follow-up study (Study 2) was conducted among 102 older adults randomly selected from Study 1, of which 52 were older adults who provided grandparental care, and another 50 older adults were those who did not. Health status (measured by SF-36), lonely dissatisfaction (measured by Lonely Dissatisfaction Subscale of PGC-MS), and cognitive functions (measured by subscales of WAIS) as well as demographics were measured in both studies. Results Results of both the cross-sectional and longitudinal studies showed that, compared with older adults who did not provide grandparental care, those providing grandparental care had significantly better physical and mental health as well as reduced lonely dissatisfaction. Further path analysis showed that lonely dissatisfaction mediated the association between providing grandparental care and enhancement in functions such that providing grandparental care could reduce lonely dissatisfaction, which, in turn, could improve their physical and mental health even after controlling for their cognitive functions. Discussion These results suggest that providing grandparental care can improve older adults’ physical and mental health through reduced lonely dissatisfaction.

To explore the moderating role of benefit‐finding in the relationship between grandparenting stress and emotional well‐being. Grandparents face multiple pressures in the process of assisting with childcare, which significantly affects their mental health. It is an important task for family researchers to develop effective strategies aimed at improving the mental health of grandparents involved in grandchild care. A total of 244 grandparents completed the Grandparenting Stress Questionnaire, the Relatedness Benefit Finding Questionnaire in Grandparenting, the Reproduction‐Immortality Benefit‐Finding Questionnaire in Grandparenting, and the Emotional Experience of Well‐Being Questionnaire. Grandparenting stress showed significant interaction effects with both relatedness benefit finding and reproduction‐immortality benefit finding. The moderating effect size of reproduction‐immortality benefit finding (Δ R 2  = 0.026) was greater than that of relatedness benefit finding (Δ R 2  = 0.012). Elevated levels of benefit finding contribute to enhancing grandparents' positive emotions and mitigating negative ones, thereby enabling their emotional well‐being to sustain a relatively high level even in high‐stress situations. Both relatedness and reproduction‐immortality benefits finding in grandparenting moderated the effect of grandparenting stress on emotional well‐being. Grandparents can enhance their emotional well‐being by finding the benefits of caring for their grandchildren.

… and emotional health of grandparent caregivers and the perceived benefits of support group … on all scales than the grandparent caregivers. However, only the t values for the scales of …

This study analyses the role of character strengths in grandparents’ psychological wellbeing. Following the Lazarus and Folkman’s stress model, we included three groups of variables that may be related to grandparents´ psychological wellbeing: personal characteristics (sex, age, and marital status), stressful event (conducting a caregiver or non-caregiver role) and coping strategies (character strengths). A sample of 536 Spanish grandparents participated. The average age was 70.23 (SD = 7.17). We conducted a multiple regression analysis. Multiple regression analysis evidenced that the character strengths optimism, humour, courage, justice and problem solving explained the 34.7% of grandparents’ psychological wellbeing variance. The results have shown that, when faced with a stressful event, such as the supplementary care of grandchildren in this case, personal characteristics or the stressful event itself are not as relevant as the strategies available to the person to cope with the event.

… grandparents reported support groups to be of some benefit, particularly with emotional support. Fewer grandparents reported benefits … are not included in the scale. It is therefore quite …

… and benefit finding among grandparent caregivers. It therefore directly speaks to interventions with grandparent caregivers … For both indicators, responses were given on a scale from 1 (…

Abstract Objectives Although studies have documented the effects of grandparenting, little is known about grandparents’ long-term health outcomes in terms of optimal engagement with grandchildren, and whether age, gender, or location make a difference. This study explores the longitudinal impacts of grandparenting on health, with considerations for subgroup differences. Methods Using three waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we used propensity score analysis combined with multilevel analysis to examine the longitudinal effect of grandparenting (no, low-, moderate-, and high-intensity) on health (self-rated health, mobility limitations, depressive symptoms, and cognition) among 4,925 grandparents with at least one grandchild, and how impact varies by age, gender, and urban/rural areas. Results A nonlinear relationship between grandparenting and health was observed. Compared to those not providing care, grandparents who provided care at a low-to-moderate level were more likely to have fewer mobility limitations and depressive symptoms and better cognition. High intensity had no positive impacts on health. The effects of grandparenting on health operated differently across subgroups. Older grandparents showed better physical, mental, and cognitive health compared to their younger counterparts. Both genders had fewer mobility limitations if they provided care at a low-to-moderate level, although females reported better self-rated health. Rural grandparents reported better physical health; whereas urban grandparents reported better cognition. Conclusion Grandparenting could improve health in later life; however, there are complex interactions at play. Policies aimed at supporting grandparenting should consider optimal hours of care relevant to age, gender, and urban/rural contexts.

The increasing worldwide prevalence and intensity of grandparenting has attracted an attention to its health implications for caregivers against the backdrop of population aging. Thanks to prolonged life expectancy and reduced infant mortality, extended families that comprise four generations, co-residential or not, are no longer rare in China. The current study examines health consequences when Chinese grandparents provide care to not only grandchildren but also their own elderly parents or parents-in-law (i.e., great-grandparents). Drawing on data from the 2011–2013 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), mental health was captured by levels of life satisfaction and depressive symptoms, and physical health was measured by levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), hypertension, high-risk pulse rate, and diabetes. Overall grandparents who cared for grandchildren only had better mental and physical health, compared with non-caregivers. There was some evidence that the ‘sandwich’ grandparents who cared for both grandchildren and great-grandparents reported greater life satisfaction, fewer depressive symptoms, and reduced hypertension compared with non-caregivers. The health advantage of caregiving was most pronounced in urban grandfathers whose caregiving conformed to the norm of filial piety and who did so most likely to seek emotional reward instead of an intergenerational time-for-money exchange. In contrast, rural grandmothers were the most vulnerable group and their health disadvantage seemed to arise from caring for great-grandparents. These findings highlight the importance of rural-urban context and gender role in studying the health effects of intergenerational caregiving on Chinese grandparents.

… For scales, we report the range of scale alphas across the three … of the model to grandparent caregiving. The findings of this study … assisting grandparent-headed households can benefit …

Abstract With improved longevity and changes in family structure, grandparents are key resources in providing care for grandchildren. However, mixed findings indicate that multiple role engagement may enhance well-being or bring demands on grandparents raising grandchildren. Little is known about how the intensity of grandparent caregiving is associated with their well-being in different family contexts (i.e., structures, cultures/regions, and reasons of care). This systematic review examines the association between the intensity of grandparent caregiving and their well-being. Peer-reviewed articles published after 1990 were identified in five electronic databases. A keyword search was performed for keywords associated with: (a) grandparent caregivers raising grandchildren, and (2) well-being (i.e., physical, mental, cognitive, and life satisfaction). Only quantitative studies were included. Fifty-six articles from 28 countries/regions were included. Findings suggested that the well-being of grandparents is optimal when they provide caregiving of moderate intensity, with optimal amounts varying across sociocultural contexts. In Europe and Australia, providing supplementary care seems beneficial for grandparents’ well-being, especially supporting dual-earner families. In Asia, economic resources buffer the adverse effect of primary care on grandparents’ well-being. In the U.S., findings vary across ethnicity/race. White grandparents enjoy health benefits providing supplementary care with support from adult children. However, Hispanic grandparent caregivers in multigenerational households have better well-being than those in skipped-generation households, whereas Black custodial caregivers have better well-being than supplemental caregivers. Collectively, the intensity of grandparent caregiving and well-being is complicated by their roles in the family and cultural differences. This systematic review calls for culturally-tailored family interventions.

Objective This study examines the impact of caregiving on older people’s life satisfaction, focusing on the role of caring for grandchildren. The study considers individual characteristics (aging attitudes) and situational factors (intergenerational support) and aims to identify the mediating roles of aging attitudes and intergenerational support in the relationship between caregiving and life satisfaction. Method The study analyzed data from the 2014 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), focusing on 5363 grandparents who reported providing care for their grandchildren in the 12 months before the survey. Life satisfaction was subjectively measured. The data was analyzed using multiple linear regression, propensity score matching, and mediation analysis. Result The study found that grandparents who cared for their grandchildren have higher levels of life satisfaction. Self-aging attitudes, general aging attitudes, intergenerational economic support, intergenerational instrumental support, and intergenerational emotional support fully mediated the relationship between grandchild care and life satisfaction. Conclusion This study demonstrates that caring for grandchildren is a vital activity for older people that helps them develop positive aging attitudes and strengthens intergenerational support, thereby improving their quality of life. Hence, the government, society, families, and communities should provide more social support to older adults caring for grandchildren. This would not only benefit the health of the older people themselves but also promote intergenerational harmony and family development.

This article focuses on satisfaction with the grandparent role at 1 and 2 years after the transition to grandparenthood. Three hundred and eighteen grandparents (male and female) were initially recruited and required to complete a well-validated self-report measure of grandparent satisfaction, together with self-report questionnaires assessing a range of characteristics which might predict role satisfaction. The main finding was that grandparent–grandchild attachment (bonding) was the most powerful predictor. Some predictors (e.g., generativity) appeared to have a direct effect on satisfaction, whereas the effect of others (e.g., grandchild temperament) appeared to be mediated via the grandparent–grandchild attachment relationship. Role satisfaction, aside from its probable relevance to grandparent wellbeing, is also likely to be of relevance to grandparents’ willingness to provide childcare. The latter, besides impacting on well-being of both grandparents and parents, also powerfully influences workforce economics.

… predictors of grandparent satisfaction. Participants were 149 non-custodial grandparents (100 … Very few investigations of grandparent satisfaction have included a measure of …

Whether grandparenting is associated with improved health or well-being among older adults is a salient question in present-day aging societies. This systematic review compiles studies that consider the health or well-being outcomes of grandparenting, concerning (1) custodial grandparent families, where grandparents are raising grandchildren without parental presence; (2) three-generation households, where grandparents are living with adult children and grandchildren; and (3) non-coresiding grandparents, who are involved in the lives of their grandchildren. Review was based on literature searches conducted in September 2019 via Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Ebsco. We screened 3868 abstracts across four databases, and by following the PRISMA guidelines, we identified 92 relevant articles (117 studies) that were published between 1978 and 2019. In 68% of cases, custodial grandparenting was associated with decreased health or well-being of grandparents. The few studies considering the health or well-being of grandparents living in three-generation households provided mixed findings (39% positive; 39% negative). Finally, in 69% of cases, involvement of non-coresiding grandparents was associated with improved grandparental outcomes; however, there was only limited support for the prediction that involved grandparenting being causally associated with grandparental health or well-being. Despite this, after different robustness checks (counting all nonsignificant results, taking into account the representativeness of the data and causal methodology), the main finding remains the same: the most negative results are found among custodial grandparents and three-generation households and most positive results among non-coresiding grandparents.

… of the grandparent role experience: grandparent satisfaction, an … between grandparents and grandchildren, a grandparent role-… We will use a new measure of grandparent identity that …

Given the prevalence of depressive mental health symptoms among Chinese adults of grandparenting age in recent decades, a better understanding of how depression and life satisfaction among middle-aged and older adults in China are affected by their role as grandparents is called for. This study examines the relationship between grandparenting and depression and life satisfaction among Chinese adults using multilevel regression models based on a multilevel matching dataset formulated from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and the 2018 China City Statistical Yearbook. The results show that for adults who take care of their grandchildren, living with their children can significantly reduce depression. Meanwhile, whereas spending more time taking care of grandchildren can lower life satisfaction, taking care of more grandchildren is related to higher life satisfaction. The findings of this study should help policymakers improve the quality of life of Chinese adults through better-targeted approaches.

… grandparents rated their level of satisfaction with grandparenthood as an overall experience and ranked the satisfaction … this group’s responses to the relative satisfaction measure. The …

… We measured SWB by four outcomes: self-rated health, life … Our findings indicate that intensive grandparenting is positively associated with older adults' life satisfaction. Older adults …

… satisfaction from 14 domains of life such as family relationship, friendship, recreational activity and food/meal on a 3-point Likert scale. Its score ranges 14–42 points. Another measure …

Background In China, grandchild care plays an important social role later in life. The effects of grandchild care on physical health and depression in older adults have been illustrated. However, there is a gap in research on grandchild care and life satisfaction of older adults specifically based on the Chinese experience. Method Based on 7,079 individuals’ data from 2018 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), this study explored the impact of grandchild care on older adults’ life satisfaction by using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Propensity Score Matching (PSM), and instrumental variables (IV) models. Results The empirical results indicated that (1) life satisfaction was significantly higher for older adults who undertook grandchild care compared to those who did not; (2) non-coresiding grandparents showed higher life satisfaction than those non-carers, and this effect was not found in custodial grandparents or three-generation household grandparents; (3) higher life satisfaction of grandchild caregivers was achieved through reduced loneliness, enhanced self-efficacy, and increased emotional support from children, with the latter being the greatest contribution; and (4) the improving effect of grandchild care on life satisfaction was found mainly in the group of older adults who were male and in rural households. Conclusion There was a significant difference in life satisfaction between older Chinese adults who provided grandchild care and those who did not. Efforts in terms of old age policy protection and family relationships should be made to enhance the subjective well-being of older adults.

… identified grandparents or stepgrandparents described their relationship in terms of satisfaction, … The perceived satisfaction with the relationship was measured using one item on the …

Intergenerational relations have received close attention in the context of population aging and increased childcare provision by grandparents. However, few studies have investigated the psychological consequences of becoming a grandparent. In a preregistered test of grandparenthood as a developmental task in middle and older adulthood, we used representative panel data from the Netherlands (N = 563) and the United States (N = 2210) to analyze first-time grandparents’ personality and life satisfaction development. We tested gender, employment, and grandchild care as moderators. To address confounding, we employed propensity score matching using two procedures: matching grandparents with parents and nonparents to achieve balance in different sets of carefully selected covariates. Multilevel models demonstrated mean-level stability of the Big Five personality traits and life satisfaction over the transition to grandparenthood, and no consistent moderation effects—contrary to the social investment principle. The few small effects of grandparenthood on personality development did not replicate across samples. We found no evidence of larger inter-individual differences in change in grandparents compared to the controls or of lower rank-order stability. Our findings add to recent critical re-examinations of the social investment principle and are discussed in light of characteristics that might moderate grandparents’ personality development.

… Although many grandparent caregivers experienced psychological problems, positive aspects of the caregiving experience have been described. In a study of African-American …

… grandparent caregivers. Results reveal six overarching themes that characterized resilient grandfamilies, including (1) positive … Grandparents who found the joy and positive aspects of …

The number of grandparents providing supplementary care for their grandchildren has increased in the past decades. When analyzing the relationship between the amount of care provided by grandparents and their health, there are mixed results. Some studies suggest that the effects on supplementary caregivers’ health appear to be mediated by the context of caregiving (e.g., personal resources, social context, etc) instead of by its intensity. However, little data has examined the relationship between care intensity and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) (a concept that goes beyond health status) and what protective factors may mediate between care provided by grandparents and HRQoL. Based on the Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin, 1993), we aimed to examine how the amount of care provided to grandchildren relates to grandparents’ mental and physical HRQoL and if social support and character strengths act as protective factors mediating this relationship. A sample of 300 grandparents from Spain participated in this study. We grouped participants by the type of supplementary care they were providing: regular or occasional. To test our hypotheses, we conducted path analysis. Character strengths and social support mediated the effect of the amount of care on grandparents’ mental HRQoL. Results also underlined the importance of character strengths as a mediator between the amount of care provided and grandparents’ physical HRQoL. This study highlights the importance of considering a positive orientation focused on protective factors (social support and character strengths) that may minimize the impact of the difficulties associated with grandparents’ caregiving. This study analyzed the impact of caregiving on grandparents based on The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation. Regular caregivers did not show worse health-related quality of life scores than non-regular ones. The impact of caregiving on grandparents’ mental and physical health was mediated positively by their character strengths. Social support is a significant resource to cope with caregiving. Researchers, professionals and policy makers should consider grandparents’ protective factors such as character strengths and social support. This study analyzed the impact of caregiving on grandparents based on The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation. Regular caregivers did not show worse health-related quality of life scores than non-regular ones. The impact of caregiving on grandparents’ mental and physical health was mediated positively by their character strengths. Social support is a significant resource to cope with caregiving. Researchers, professionals and policy makers should consider grandparents’ protective factors such as character strengths and social support.

… Focusing on factors that contribute to grandparents’ positive well-being … about positive well-being of caregiving grandparents. … , has focused on negative aspects of well-being such as de…

Grandparent caregivers experience a complex web of rewards and challenges as the primary source of support for their grandchildren. Consistent with the trend towards a more positive framing of grandparent caregiving, this paper explores the grandparent caregiver experience through a strengths-based approach and makes the case for Seligman's Wellbeing Theory, or PERMA model, being used to support research, programming, and policy. A scoping review of 16 current empirical articles relevant to grandparent caregiver wellbeing revealed the experience of grandparent caregivers aligns well with the five components of Seligman’s PERMA model: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. Using this framework with grandparent caregivers, both in theory and in practice, can provide relevant stakeholders with a more comprehensive picture of the needs of this population, enabling them to more effectively support wellbeing for grandparent caregivers and positive developmental outcomes for the growing number of children in their care.

… attention was paid to having grandparents describe positive aspects of their health. Questions … by grandparent caregivers in our research and support positive life satisfaction. Positive …

… We suggest that a substantial proportion of grandparent caregivers may … for positive approaches to grandparent caregiving. … grandparents integrate both positive and negative aspects …

… grandparents interpret their caregiving situation positively or negatively (Lawton, Moss, Kleban, Glicksman, & Rovine, 1991). Of particular interest is grandparents’ positive … aspects of …

Considering the inconclusive effect of grandchild care on grandparents’ well-being, this study aimed to develop an Effort-Reward Imbalance in Grandchild Care Scale (ERI-GCS) to delineate the effect. In Study 1, 422 grandparents rated the 27-item draft ERI-GCS, which supported the ERI model. In Study 2, 397 grandparents participated to validate the construct structure of ERI-GCS. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-factor model including the two first-order factors of effort and overcommitment that correlate with one second-order reward factor with three first-order factors of intrinsic reward, adult child's recognition, and grandchild's affection. The final 22-item ERI-GCS has good internal consistency, with Cronbach's alphas ranging from 0.78 to 0.89. ERI-GCS shows good convergent validity and criterion validity, indicated by correlations with non-reciprocity relationships and mental health (depressive symptoms, psychological flourishing), respectively. The findings show that the ERI-GCS can reliably measure the effect of effort-reward imbalance on caregiver grandparents’ mental health.

… sive symptoms and grandparent reward among older adults in … by perceived relation-oriented grandparent reward (R2 change = … reliability of the scale was satisfactory as indicated by a …

… Moreover, grandparents across the caregiving involvement continuum tend to vary in the intensity of their investiture in their grandchildren. For example, maternal grandmothers …

… The scale assessed four components of depressive … Given the context of custodial grandparents, our caregivers … the unique context of custodial grandparent caregiving that may …

… forms of grandparent caregiving: grandparents who assume … In this study, reliability for the total scale was .94, with … caregivers will uncover the rewards and burdens of their role, while …

… That is, grandparents may find caregiving rewarding, but only when it is done on a limited basis such as when the grandparents provide day care for the grandchildren, but send them …

… grandparent caregivers held by noncaregiving grandparents. … that grandparent caregiving can be a positive and rewarding … Our findings speaking to the scale's discriminant validity (ie, …

With increasing life expectancy, grandparents and grandchildren have more years available to share. Furthermore, with lower fertility rates and fewer grandchildren, relationships can be more frequent and profound. Intergenerational relationships are expected to be associated with older people's quality of life, especially in Latin American countries such as Chile, with high intergenerational co-residence and contact between generations. This research aims to analyze the associations between the characteristics of intergenerational relationships and grandparents' subjective well-being (Diener Scale and Satisfaction) and self-rated health. The novelty stems from including the structural characteristics of relationships with grandchildren (frequency of contact, closeness, and care), the activities they share (generativity), and the quality of relationships (ambivalence). This study is based on data from a specific face-to-face grandparenting survey conducted on a sample of 464 grandparents in January 2020. It is representative of older Chilean grandparents living in private dwellings. Multiple logistic and ordinary regression models were estimated using the Diener Scale, unique satisfaction question, and health self-perception. The results demonstrated that subjective well-being, but not self-rated health, was highly associated with the characteristics of intergenerational relationships, especially with the quality of relationships and with generative activities such as recreational activities and family identity. In conclusion, intergenerational relationships' quality and content are strongly associated with subjective well-being in old age, but not with health self-perception. Even in a Latin American country like Chile, with high co-residence and intergenerational contact, the variations in quality and generativity activities significantly explain the variations in subjective well-being. For this reason, policies for the promotion of well-being in older people must consider the family environment in which older people live, encompassing wider family networks, including grandchildren.

Background It is common for older people to become grandparents in later life. However, the impacts of grandparenting on their health and well-being remain ambiguous, especially in Chinese society, where the family is in the core of culture. The current study explored the relationship between grandparenthood and Chinese older people’s health and psychological well-being in Hong Kong. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 1208 Hong Kong Chinese older people aged 55 and above through a telephone survey conducted in 2019. Participants were grouped into three categories: current grandparents ( n  = 507), grandparents-to-be ( n  = 275), and grandparents-not-to-be ( n  = 426). Multivariate linear regressions were performed to examine the relationship between grandparenting status and health and well-being outcomes, including self-rated physical health, mental health, resilience, and happiness. The potential moderating roles of older adults’ demographic characteristics, including age, sex, education, marital status, financial status, were also examined. Results Bivariate analyses suggested statistically significant differences between health and well-being across the three groups of participants. Regression models showed that, compared with grandparents-not-to-be, being a current grandparent was associated with a significantly higher happiness level. Being a future grandparent was associated with significantly higher levels of happiness, resilience, and self-rated physical health. Moderating analyses showed that age, marital status, and educational level could moderate the relationship between grandparent status and resilience and self-rated mental health. Conclusions The current study offers preliminary insights into the significant relationship between grandparenthood and older adults’ health and well-being. It calls for future studies to further explore the mechanisms between grandparenthood and the healthy ageing of different subgroups of older adults.

Abstract Objectives Although the majority of older people are grandparents, little is known on whether and how the transition into grandparenthood affects their well-being. Moreover, evidence on whether the order of the transition, the time since grandchild’s birth, and the sociodemographic characteristics of the offspring modify the grandparental well-being is scarce. Taking into account these factors, our study examines the association between becoming a grandparent and subsequent well-being. Methods Our study is based on grandparents aged 50 and older from Waves 4–6 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Using longitudinal analyses, we investigate associations between becoming a grandparent and subsequent life satisfaction, positive affect, and depression controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors as well as health and well-being at baseline. Furthermore, we explore the role of modifying factors such as whether the grandchild was first-born, the time since transition, and sociodemographic characteristics of the offspring who became a parent. Results Becoming a grandparent has a positive effect on well-being only among women who became grandmothers for the first time and via their daughters. Moreover, this effect is particularly strong in the proximity of the birth of the grandchild. No effects were found among first-time grandfathers. Having an additional grandchild does not affect well-being of grandparents, regardless of the offspring’s characteristics. Discussion Transitioning to grandparenthood per se does not affect well-being. More research is needed to further investigate if interpersonal relationships and changes in roles triggered by becoming a grandparent could help promote well-being in later life.

… well-being was conceptualized as subjective quality of life or subjective well-being, signifying what grandparents … of psychological well-being, and it is not clear whether the instruments …

The purpose of the study was to examine the association between the centrality of the grandparent’s role and psychological well-being in the population of European grandparents, aged 50 and older. The study was a secondary analysis of data gathered in the first wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. The sample included grandparents who looked after their grandchildren without the presence of the parents (n = 3,888). Respondents’ scores on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale were regressed on the frequency of contact with grandchildren, beliefs and attitudes about grandparenting and grandparent-focused role occupancy, and on a composite measure of grandparent role centrality, controlling for age, gender, education, household income, physical status, and country. The findings negated the hypothesized positive association between grandparent role centrality and psychological well-being. Only one of the three indices of interest—grandparent-focused role occupancy—was related to the psychological well-being outcome when background and health variables were taken into account. The study refutes the central claim of role theory according to which salient roles are more beneficial to the psychological well-being of the individual than are other roles, especially in old age. It also questions the theoretical framework of grandparent role meaning that is commonly cited in the literature.

Abstract Introduction: There is limited understanding of the association of grandparenting with the wellbeing of older adults with chronic diseases. This study aimed to examine grandparenting practices and their association with physical and mental well-being among older adults. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at an outpatient clinic in a tertiary hospital in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. A total of 421 older patients with grandparenting experience were interviewed. The SF-12 Version 2.0 Health Survey was utilised to assess mental and physical wellbeing. Sociodemographic information, chronic disease care and grandparenting practices were evaluated to investigate any potential relationship with physical and mental well-being. Results: Of the participants, 80% were aged 60-74 years; 62.5% were women; and 81.4% completed secondary education. More than half of the participants voluntarily took on the role of grandparenting. The participants showed an impaired physical function but a preserved mental wellbeing. Never missing regular medication due to grandparenting and taking up grandparenting based on the circumstances were related to mental health. However, no factor was significantly associated with physical well-being. Conclusion: Two factors are linked to improved mental well-being. In contrast, there is no significant relationship found between a decline in physical health and grandparenting practices. Further research is needed to determine the causal relationship between physical health challenges and grandparenting practices.

… supplementary grandchild care and grandparents’ subjective well-being—measured as … grandparents with lower levels of well-being. Studies using longitudinal designs or instrumental …

Older individuals commonly go through a few major life transitions which can impact their health and well-being. While transitions like that into retirement have been extensively investigated, little research focused on the transition into grandparenthood. Understanding effects of this highly common event is not only important from a descriptive viewpoint, but is also informative for the active aging policies that are increasingly pursued to deal with aging populations. Using data from ten Western European countries, we show that grandparenthood on average leads to a reduction in well-being while hardly impacting physical, cognitive and mental health. The effect is heterogeneous by family closeness, though. Grandparenthood reduces well-being for those having relatively little family contact and not providing child care. But it leaves well-being unaffected while improving health along some dimensions among those with the opposite profile. The only exception to the latter are grandmothers providing daily child care, for whom grandparenthood appears to be burdensome. This pattern of results suggests that involving grandparents non-intensively in child care may lead to beneficial side-effects. Becoming a grandparent induces people to retire, but retirement seems no relevant channel for well-being and health effects.

… Grandparents caring for grandchildren is a core component … trends and patterns of grandparent caregiving, this study … and maternal employment, grandparenthood and left-behind …

… For the grandmothers, relationships at time-one with their grandchildren and their adult sons or daughters—the grandchildren's parents—impacted gains in life satisfaction later, but not …

Research on grandparenting (i.e., caring for grandchildren) and mental health in Asian contexts has been limited, despite the rapid growth of older adults who take care of grandchildren. This study aims to investigate how grandparenting influences depressive symptoms in China. Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2015, N = 4354), we conducted fixed effects regression models to examine the association between various types of grandparenting and depressive symptoms among older adults between the ages of 45 and 80. The results show that for grandparents, providing care to their grandchildren in skipped-generation households (i.e., grandparent-grandchildren families without adult children) is associated with a lower level of depressive symptoms compared to providing no care, after controlling for socioeconomic status, health behaviors, social support, and basic demographic characteristics. Other types of care (i.e., multigenerational household grandparenting, and part-time and full-time noncoresident grandparenting) are not significantly linked to caregiving grandparents' depressive symptoms. Overall, our findings suggest that sociocultural contexts need to be considered in explaining the different mental health implications of grandparenting.

… In the current chapter, we discuss the chaUenges and rewards these grandparent caregivers face. In keeping with the theme of this volume, we view these concerns from the "lens of life …

… of grandparental child care for grandparents may be gained … we did not consider primary caregivers providing custodial care), … stronger beneficial effects for grandparents (Hypothesis 2). …

… of the grandparents' meaning of grandparenthood on the other generations and the mediating relationship of the middle generation on both the first generation (grandparents) and the …

… In order to consider the role of deprivation in grandparenthood, experimental scales were … Associations were evaluated among the grandparenthood dimensions, deprivation scales, …

… meanings among diverse samples of grandparents (Szinovacz, 1998b). The current study explores the structure of grandparent meaning … of the scale to assess grandparental meaning, …

… some of the scales were developed to be used only with a grandparent population, others … among different instruments, as well as within different scales of the same instrument. Validity, …

… meaning of the grandparent role both from the grandparent’s and the grandchild’s point of view, and at assessing the effects of gender and age in this meaning. … scale for grandparents. …

The study examined the impact of role type and involvement level on psychological wellbeing among 255 South Korean grandparents. Participants in non-baseline role types (those who participated in grandparenting) tended to perceive meaning in their lives and to exhibit relatively low levels of stress and depressive mood. With respect to involvement, stress tended to decrease (β = −0.134) when this variable increased, but no relationship was found with perceived meaning or depressive mood. In addition, the hypotheses that burden of caring for grandchildren would mediate the impact of role type and involvement level on psychological wellbeing, and that respect from adult children would moderate this mediation, were supported. Four policy and practice implications are identified. First, policy makers should provide resources for seniors so that those who might benefit from actively nurturing their grandchildren can do so more readily. Second, given that significant moderated mediation emerged in terms of care burden and grandparent roles and involvement, practitioners should be aware of the interactions among grandparents, children, and grandchildren when providing counselling and other resources. Third, the study suggests the importance of applying dynamic practice models, particularly in a context like South Korea, where most families encompass more than two generations. Finally, the results have implications regarding the impact of grandparent attitudes and behaviour patterns within changing social dynamics, and practitioners should be prepared to assist clients and their families to address their evolving roles and the impacts they have on the family unit. Limitations and implications for future research are also discussed.

The grandparent role has been often described as one of the most fulfilling aspects of older age. Yet, no longitudinal studies investigated the effect of the transition to grandparenthood on older adults’ sense of purpose and meaning in life. In this pre-registered study, we investigated the effect of becoming a first-time grandparent and a first-time caregiving grandparent on changes in sense of purpose and meaning in life. We used data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), covering up to 12 years around the transition (N HRS = 843, N ELSA = 587). To disentangle potential grandparenthood effects from age-related developmental changes, we used propensity score matching to compare grandparents to matched non-grandparents. Using latent change score models, we only found increases in sense of purpose in the years leading up to the transition, but not afterwards. No consistent findings of mean-level changes were observed in the control groups. Thus, our findings suggest that becoming a (caregiving) grandparent does not necessarily contribute to higher meaning and sense of purpose in life than before or compared to non-grandparents. Plain language summary Older adults often report that being a grandparent is one of the most fulfilling roles of older age. However, there are no studies to investigate how older adults’ sense of purpose and meaning in life changes over time when they first become grandparents. Similarly, no past research has investigated how the two constructs change when first-time grandparents start to provide care for their grandchildren for the first time. In this study, we use data from two large population studies (Health and Retirement Study and English Longitudinal Study of Ageing; NHRS = 843, NELSA = 587 ) covering up to 12 years to see if newly grandparents increase in sense of purpose and meaning in life during the transition to (active) grandparenthood. To make sure that any potential effects are not due to life events or changes that normally take place during old age, we compared grandparents to older adults that were not (yet) grandparents, or did not have children, but were similar to our target group (i.e., grandparents) with respect to other characteristics—for example, age, gender, and health status. We did not find evidence for any change in sense of purpose and meaning in life after older adults become grandparents, but only in the years leading up to the transition to grandparenthood. For the groups of non-grandparents, we did not find any notable differences in how sense of purpose and meaning in life changed during the study period compared to the groups of grandparents. Starting to provide grandchildren as a first-time grandparent also did not lead to any changes in sense of purpose and meaning in life.

Abstract Despite the importance of grandparenthood as a prominent life role in older adulthood, there remains a paucity of research into individual differences in the perception of grandparenthood. The current study employed data from the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network dataset to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Experiences of Grandparenting (MEG) scale and to examine the extent to which perceptions of grandparenthood vary as a function of race, gender, and personality (N = 526, Mage = 70.9; 59.1% females; 72.1% White). Measurement invariance tests supported the utility of the MEG scale across race and gender. Findings also confirmed the importance of capturing emotions and beliefs associated with grandparenthood as intersecting elements of a multidimensional construct. Females tended to score higher than males on behavioral aspects of grandparenthood, such as providing emotional and educational support. Black grandparents were more likely than White participants to view grandparenthood as symbolic of family continuity. All five major trait dimensions of personality were modestly associated with some perceptions of grandparenthood, with maturity-relevant traits being more associated with positive perceptions across MEG scales. Symptoms of personality disorder were also modestly associated with MEG scales. These results underscore grandparenthood is a multidimensional role viewed differently across individuals.

Robertson (1977), in a study of the meaning of grandparenthood, identified four distinct grandparental role-meaning types that were determined through factor analytic techniques. The purpose of the current study was to determine the usefulness of Robertson's scale and typology in assessing the meaning of grandparenthood to women and men about to assume the role. The responses of 146 subjects were analyzed, and the two factors defined by Robertson were confirmed. Subjects were categorized into Apportioned, Symbolic, Individualized, and Remote role-meaning types. Contrary to Robertson's findings, these types were not related to life style variables, such as education or age, and they did not differ in expectations for role behaviors with the grandchild. This may be due in part to the fact that before the birth of their grandchild, all four types of “expectant” grandparents must relate to the grandchild in a symbolic manner and, therefore, they may rely on normative information to predict future behavioral interactions. Robertson (1977), dans son étude sur ce que cela signifie d'ětre un grand-parent, a identifié quatre types distincts de rǒles qui ont été déterminés par des techniques analytiques. Le but de l'étude était de déterminer dans quelle mesure l'echelle de Robertson et la typpologie employée pour évaluer le sens du rǒle des grands-parents étaient utiles pour les hommes et les femmes remplissant ces fonctions. L'analyse des réponses de 146 sujets et des deux facteurs définis par Robertson se sont révelés corrects. Les sujets tombent dans quatre catégories: partagé, symbolique, individualisé et éloigné. Contrairement aux découvertes de Robertson, ces types ne sont pas en relation avec des facteurs tels que l'éducation, ou l'ǎge, et les comportements avec l'enfant ne diffèrent pas. Ceci peut ětre dǔ en partie au fait qu'avant la naissance de l'enfant, les quatre types de grands-parents doivent établir une relation symbolique avec l'enfant et donc ils doivent compter sur les renseignements normatifs pour prédire les interactions futures. En su estudio sobre el significado del ser abuelo, Robertson (1977), identifico 4 tipos distintos de papeles significantes de los abuelos, que fueron determinados gracias a tecnicas de factores analiticos. El propósito del presente estudio era determinar la utilidad de la escala de Robertson y su tipología al evaluar el significado de ser abuelo en hombres y mujeres a punto de asumir ese papel. Se analizaron las respuestas de 146 personas y se confirmaron los factores definidos por Robertson. Estas personas fueron clasificadas en 4 tipos de papeles significantes; Distribuido, Simbolico, Individualizado y Remoto. A1 contrario de los descubrimientos de Robertson, estos tipos no estaban relacionados con variables dependientes del estilo de vida, tales como la educación o la edad, y no se diferenciaron en cuanto a lo esperado en las conductas con el nieto. Esto puede deberse, en parte, al hecho de que antes del nacimiento de su nieto, los 4 tipos de futuros abuelos deben relacionarse con el niño de una manera simbólica y por eso pueden contar con una cierta informatión normativa para predecir sus futuras interacciones.

… Items are all seven-point Likert scales; separate scores for each aspect of meaning were computed by summing across items for that aspect. Complete psychometric data are reported …

… patterns, and the meaning of grandparenthood. Early studies … grandparenting scales did not significantly exceed those of grandfathers, it is unlikely that the difference in grandparenting …

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES As attention to positive caregiving experience increases, there is growing evidence concerning how the identification of the positive aspects of caregiving can be beneficial in supporting caregivers. The purpose of the current study is to review the literature where the Positive Aspects of Caregiving Scale (PACS) was used, identify the ways studies have used the PACS, and summarize the relationship between PACS and the contextual factors as well as outcomes of caregiving. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A systematic literature review was conducted. Electronic databases were searched, and empirical research studies written in English that were published in a peer-reviewed journal after 2004 were identified. After a careful review of the 194 abstracts yielded from the databases and the reference lists of the associated articles, 52 eligible studies were identified, and relevant findings were extracted. RESULTS Some commonality in terms of how studies have used the PACS emerged. The literature reviewed was further grouped into three categories depending on whether the study tested the PACS as a valid and reliable measurement, examined the PACS as outcomes of caregiving, or as a predictor of certain outcomes. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS This review suggests that PACS is utilized for multiple purposes and yields considerable evidence supporting the importance of understanding the positive experience of caregiving. However, there is limited adaptation of the PACS in a large survey, and studies were heavily focused in the U.S. with little evidence from other countries. Further studies to address these limitations will be needed.

Objective To examine whether intra- and intergenerational caregiving affect subjective well-being (SWB) of the caregivers longitudinally. Methods Data were drawn from the German Ageing Survey (DEAS), which is a population-based longitudinal study of individuals living in Germany aged 40 and over. The waves in 2002, 2008 and 2011 were used (with 10,434 observations). SWB was examined in a broad sense, covering affective (AWB) and cognitive well-being (CWB), positive (PA) and negative affect (NA) as well as functional and mental health. While intragenerational caregiving was defined as providing care for spouse/partner, intergenerational caregiving was defined as providing care for mother, father, mother-in-law, father-in-law, partner’s mother or partner’s father. Results Fixed effects regressions adjusting for sociodemographic factors, social network, self-efficacy and morbidity showed that intergenerational informal care did not affect the various SWB outcome measures. Intragenerational caregiving affected CWB (women) and mental health (total sample and men), whereas it did not affect the other outcome variables. Conclusion Our findings highlight the importance of intragenerational caregiving for mental health (men) and cognitive well-being (women). Consequently, interventions to avoid mental illness due to intragenerational caregiving are urgently needed.

To compare the Positive Experiences Scale (PES), Gain in Alzheimer Care INstrument (GAIN) and Positive Aspects of Caregiving (PAC) in assessing positive caregiving experiences among caregivers of nursing home residents with dementia, and to explore which caregiver and care recipient characteristics relate to positive caregiving experiences.

… on the gain experienced among informal caregivers of older … ie, sampling, design, measurement, analysis) observations. Key … positive aspects of caregiving proceeds. Key Words: …

Introduction The impact of intergenerational caregiving on the mental health of providers remains a controversial topic, especially in countries like China where it is prevalent. Given the country’s aging population and recent liberalization of the two-child policy, understanding the effects of intergenerational caregiving on the mental health of middle-aged and older adult(s) individuals is crucial. This study aimed to explore the impact of intergenerational caregiving on mental health among middle-aged and older adult(s) individuals. Methods We analyzed data from the China Health and Aging Tracking Survey (CHARLS) 2013, consisting of 6602 participants finally. Personal information, family structure, financial support, health status, and physical measurements were selected for analysis. Correlation and regression analyses were used for relationships among variables controlling for potential confounding variables. Mental health status was evaluated using the depression self-rating scale. Results There is a significant positive effect of intergenerational care on the mental health of middle-aged and older adult(s) people. Additionally, we re-profiled intergenerational care variables by considering the number and length of intergenerational caregivers, and found that the effects remained significant. Furthermore, the effects of intergenerational care vary across subgroups based on gender, age, nature of usual residence, marital status, and physical health status. Finally, we identified two mechanisms through which intergenerational caregiving positively affects mental health: intergenerational financial support and intergenerational spiritual support. Discussion These findings have important implications for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and family members in promoting the mental health of middle-aged and older adult(s) individuals in China.

ABSTRACT Objectives: Although a sizable body of research supports negative psychological consequences of caregiving, less is known about potential psychological benefits. This study aimed to examine whether caregiving was associated with enhanced generativity, or feeling like one makes important contributions to others. An additional aim was to examine the buffering potential of perceived generativity on adverse health outcomes associated with caregiving. Methods: Analyses utilized a subsample of participants (n = 3,815, ages 30–84 years) from the second wave of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS). Results: Regression analyses adjusting for sociodemographic factors indicated greater negative affect and depression (p < .001) and lower levels of positive affect (p < .01), but higher self-perceptions of generativity (p < .001), in caregivers compared with non-caregivers. This association remained after adjusting for varying caregiving intensities and negative psychological outcomes. Additionally, generativity interacted with depression and negative affect (p values < .05) to lessen the likelihood of health-related cutbacks in work/household productivity among caregivers. Conclusions: Results suggest that greater feelings of generativity may be a positive aspect of caregiving that might help mitigate some of the adverse health and well-being consequences of care. Clinical Implications: Self-perceptions of generativity may help alleviate caregiver burden and explain why some caregivers fare better than others.

While the health implications of intergenerational caregiving have been broadly investigated in the aging literature, less is known about caregivers in four-generation families and their living arrangements. Using 2011 and 2013 waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 12,914 obs.), we document enhanced life satisfaction of grandchild caregivers and sandwich caregivers caring for both grandchildren and parents than non-caregivers. When further taking living arrangements into consideration, we find that parent caregivers also benefit from care provision when not living with their parents and sandwich caregivers only have an advantage when co-residing with care recipients with adult children present in households. By contrast, grandchild caregivers living with grandchildren show substantially higher life satisfaction no matter adult children are present or not. The subgroup comparison suggests that females and rural residents enjoy psychological advantages over their male counterparts and urban counterparts in grandparenting within skipped-generation households and sandwich caregiving.

… The subjective measure of caregiving used in this analysis is quite different from others used in previous research that are based on types and intensity levels (eg, hours of care per …

… CAQ measure, the present study also focused on generativity and intergenerational networks. … individual understands the importance of intergenerational bonds. Generative individuals …