Loneliness Among Chinese Older Adults: The Role of Grandparenthood and Grandparental Childcare by Gender

Jing Zhang,Bruno Arpino,Tineke Fokkema

doi:10.1177/0192513x211041992

Abstract

This study examines the influence of grandparenthood and grandparental childcare on loneliness among Chinese older adults. Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of 9240 individuals from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we applied logistic regression to examine the relationship between various grandparental statuses and loneliness with a focus on gender. The grandparental role is a protective factor for loneliness. Providing care to grandchildren was associated with a lower likelihood of feeling lonely for both genders. Among grandmothers, the benefit of providing childcare is less when it is occasional. Among grandfathers, the benefit is less when it is regular and intensive. Regarding transitions in grandparental status, gender differences were only observed among those who recently entered the caregiving role. Given the increasing reliance on grandparents for childcare in China, this engagement in active aging is beneficial for older adults in reducing loneliness.

Highlights

Becoming a grandparent is common in late midlife and early later life
A similar share of grandparents who provide childcare has been found in some European countries (Di Gessa et al, 2016; Hank & Buber, 2009), the expectation and intensity of grandparental childcare are generally higher in China (Mehta & Thang, 2011; Tang et al, 2016)
This investigation contributed to the literature on the consequences of grandparenthood and grandparental childcare by examining whether grandparental roles reduce loneliness for contemporary Chinese older adults, using a nationally representative sample and guided by a conceptual framework informed by the life course perspective

Summary

Introduction

Becoming a grandparent is common in late midlife and early later life. With the enormous demographic shifts and socioeconomic reforms in China, increasing longevity and demand for childcare have resulted in greater availability of grandparents and reliance on them. While grandparental childcare is common in China, a few studies have investigated the situation of grandparents as childcare givers (Sun, 2013) and the impact of caregiving on grandparents’ health and well-being (Chen & Liu, 2012; Xu, 2019). These studies have primarily utilized data on specific, mostly disadvantaged or rural, subpopulations (Wang et al, 2017), and have primarily focused on health outcomes such as self-reported health, functional limitations, and depressive symptoms (Chen & Liu, 2012; Zhao & Li, 2019). Few studies have explored how grandparenthood and grandparental childcare relate to older adults’ loneliness—one of the indicators of subjective well-being and an important predictor of mortality, psychological problems, and physical health (Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2010)

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Conclusion