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How do grandparents influence child health and development? A systematic review

Author

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  • Sadruddin, Aalyia F.A.
  • Ponguta, Liliana A.
  • Zonderman, Anna L.
  • Wiley, Kyle S.
  • Grimshaw, Alyssa
  • Panter-Brick, Catherine

Abstract

Grandparents are often a key source of care provision for their grandchildren, yet they are sidelined in caregiving research and policy decisions. We conducted a global, systematic review of the literature to examine the scope and quality of studies to date (PROSPERO database CRD42019133894). We screened 12,699 abstracts across 7 databases, and identified 206 studies that examined how grandparents influence child health and development. Indicators of grandparent involvement were contact, caregiving behaviors, and financial support. Our review focused on two research questions: how do grandparents influence child health and development outcomes, and what range of child outcomes is reported globally? We examined study design, sample characteristics, key findings, and outcomes pertaining to grandchildren’s physical health, socio-emotional and behavioral health, and cognitive and educational development. Our search captured studies featuring grandparent custodial care (n = 35), multigenerational care (n = 154), and both types of care (n = 17). We found substantial heterogeneity in the data provided on co-residence, caregiving roles, resources invested, outcomes, and mechanisms through which “grandparent effects” are manifested. We identified two important issues, related to operationalizing indicators of grandparent involvement and conceptualizing potential mechanisms, leading to gaps in the evidence base. Currently, our understanding of the pathways through which grandparents exert their influence is constrained by limited data on what grandparents actually do and insufficient attention given to interpersonal and structural contexts. We present a conceptual framework to explicitly measure and theorize pathways of care, with a view to inform research design and policy implementation. We underscore the need for more robust data on three indicators of caregiver involvement—contact, behavior, and support—and for careful description of structural and interpersonal contexts in caregiving research.

Suggested Citation

  • Sadruddin, Aalyia F.A. & Ponguta, Liliana A. & Zonderman, Anna L. & Wiley, Kyle S. & Grimshaw, Alyssa & Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2019. "How do grandparents influence child health and development? A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:239:y:2019:i:c:s0277953619304691
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112476
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Nan Sun & Fan Yang, 2021. "Grandparenting and Children’s Health-Empirical Evidence from China," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(3), pages 1105-1120, June.
    2. Ao, Xiang & Chen, Xuan & Zhao, Zhong, 2022. "Is care by grandparents or parents better for children's non-cognitive skills? Evidence on locus of control from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    3. Wang, Sophie Xuefei & Bansak, Cynthia, 2022. "Are Grandparents a Good Substitute for Parents as the Primary Caregiver? The Impact of Grandparents on Children's Academic Performance," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1100, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    4. Parrish, Sabine & Lavis, Anna & Potter, Caroline M. & Ulijaszek, Stanley & Nowicka, Paulina & Eli, Karin, 2022. "How active can preschoolers be at home? Parents' and grandparents' perceptions of children's day-to-day activity, with implications for physical activity policy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    5. Barschkett, Mara & Spieß, C. Katharina & Ziege, Elena, 2021. "Does Grandparenting Pay off for the Next Generations? Intergenerational Effects of Grandparental Care," IZA Discussion Papers 14795, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Kaylor-Tapscott, Makena L. & Sullivan, Maureen A., 2024. "Caregiver stress, parenting, and child outcomes among grandfamilies," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    7. Sari, Emre & Moilanen, Mikko & Lindeboom, Maarten, 2023. "Role of grandparents in risky health behavior transmission: A study on smoking behavior in Norway," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 338(C).
    8. Chrysanthou, Georgios Marios & Vasilakis, Chrysovalantis, 2020. "Protecting the mental health of future adults: Disentangling the determinants of adolescent bullying victimisation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    9. Sipei Xu & Jia Zhang, 2022. "Do Social Pensions Affect the Physical and Mental Health of Rural Children in China? An Intergenerational Care Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-25, March.
    10. Mindy Steadman & Bethany G. Everett & Claudia Geist, 2024. "Coresidence with Grandparents and Children’s Socioemotional Health in Kindergarten," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(3), pages 1-35, June.
    11. Francesca Fiori, 2020. "Maternal employment and the well-being of children living with a lone mother in Scotland," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(57), pages 1685-1738.
    12. Treleaven, Emily & Ngin, Chanrith, 2021. "When parents are not present: Decision-making dynamics for young children's health and illness in migrant-sending households in rural Cambodia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    13. Olfat B. Sheikomar & Hala Ghattas & Nadine R. Sahyoun, 2022. "Relationship between Live-In Grandparents and Grandchild’s Health and Well-Being in Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-13, December.

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