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Caring as curing: Grandparenting and depressive symptoms in China

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  • Choi, Seung-won Emily
  • Zhang, Zhenmei

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Choi, Seung-won Emily & Zhang, Zhenmei, 2021. "Caring as curing: Grandparenting and depressive symptoms in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:289:y:2021:i:c:s027795362100784x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114452
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Xu, Hongwei, 2019. "Physical and mental health of Chinese grandparents caring for grandchildren and great-grandparents," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 106-116.
    5. Vivian W. Q. Lou & Nan Lu & Ling Xu & Iris Chi, 2013. "Grandparent-Grandchild Family Capital and Self-Rated Health of Older Rural Chinese Adults: The Role of the Grandparent-Parent Relationship," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 68(4), pages 599-608.
    6. Mary Elizabeth Hughes & Linda J. Waite & Tracey A. LaPierre & Ye Luo, 2007. "All in the Family: The Impact of Caring for Grandchildren on Grandparents' Health," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 62(2), pages 108-119.
    7. Li-Jung E. Ku & Sally C. Stearns & Courtney H. Van Houtven & Shoou-Yih D. Lee & Peggye Dilworth-Anderson & Thomas R. Konrad, 2013. "Impact of Caring for Grandchildren on the Health of Grandparents in Taiwan," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 68(6), pages 1009-1021.
    8. Kim Korinek & Zachary Zimmer & Danan Gu, 2011. "Transitions in Marital Status and Functional Health and Patterns of Intergenerational Coresidence Among China's Elderly Population," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 66(2), pages 260-270.
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