Intergenerational Relationships Research Articles

Growing empathy through art therapy, life story, and relationships: experiential learning in adult day services

IntroductionEmpathy is a fundamental element of high-quality healthcare, though it has been shown to be in decline among medical students and residents. Appeals have therefore been made for the development of evidence-based empathy-enhancing experiential learning and training models. Bringing Art to Life (BATL) is a service-learning program designed within experiential learning pedagogy for psychology and pre-healthcare students. Intergenerational relationships are fostered with people with dementia through art therapy and life story/narrative at a community-based adult day services center.MethodsIn this sequential mixed methods study, quantitative data were collected via electronic surveys of students in this course compared with students in didactic introductory psychology or psychology and aging courses. Survey measures included empathy, mindfulness, positive and negative affect, future time perspective, and attitudes toward older adults and working with people with dementia. Weekly BATL student journals submitted as part of their course requirements were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsWithin-subjects analyses of variance revealed increases in empathy and positive affect, broadened time perspective, and improved attitudes toward older adults and people with dementia among students in the BATL course compared with other undergraduate students. Analysis of BATL student journals supported and deepened understanding of these findings, with themes including attitude change, relationship building fostering existential awareness and self-development, art fostering social interactions, and perceived program effectiveness.DiscussionThe findings suggest that BATL strongly supports increased empathetic attitudes and decreased stigma of aging in psychology and pre-healthcare students. Intergenerational expressive arts-based programs like BATL should be implemented in healthcare education to enhance empathy and improve attitudes toward aging and dementia care.

Psychological resilience of grandparents and relationships with grandchildren in a family of an adult child. Dimensions of parentification of grandparents in the family

The purpose of the study was to capture the relationships between closeness, frequency of contact with grandchildren and authority and the dimensions of grandparents’ mental resilience. The results were collected from a sample of 80 study subjects using two tools: the Mental Resilience Scale (SPP–25) and an original ad hoc scale defining intergenerational relations, closeness – frequency – authority. The effects allowed us to address the research problem of whether there are relationships between the dimensions of grandparents’ mental resilience and their closeness, frequency of contact with grandchildren and grandparents’ authority. It was expected that the higher the mental resilience demonstrated in its dimensions studied in grandparents, the more significantly grandparents will demonstrate closeness and frequency of contact with grandchildren, while at the same time being an authority for their grandchildren. The results proven that some dimensions of psychological resilience show correlations with the characteristics of intergenerational relations. Among them, a dominant one are openness to novelty and sense of humor, as well as optimistic attitude to life and the ability to mobilize in difficult situations, which enter into positive significant interdependencies with closeness to grandchildren. On the other hand, personal coping skills and tolerance of negative emotions show a negative significant correlation with the frequency of contacts with grandchildren. Tolerance of failure and treating life as a challenge reveal a negative correlation with the authority of grandparents in grandchildren. In conclusion, the results constitute the beginning of a discussion on the issue of parentification of grandparents, a concept identified with clinical child psychology.

A Systematic Review of Studies on David Almond’s Young Adult Novels

This systematic review examines existing research on David Almond’s young adult novels, aiming to identify scholarly gaps in the field and guide future research. This review demonstrates that critical attention predominantly focused on the following aspects: magical realism, narrative complexity, radical space and landscape, religious and theological dimensions, the construction of age, and educational issues. Emerging interdisciplinary approaches offer promising avenues for future exploration. These include digital humanities methods, and the integration of age studies, life course studies, and literary studies to investigate the construction of age and intergenerational relationships in Almond’s works, particularly evident in research published in 2024. The review concludes with specific gaps in Almond’s scholarship that may guide future research.

China’s elderly mutual aid model: an active ageing perspective

Purpose China’s rural elderly care system faces significant challenges in addressing the needs of an ageing population, particularly in resource-limited areas. This study aims to critically examine the rural mutual aid elderly care model in China through the lens of active ageing principles. It explores how this model tackles elder care challenges in rural areas by emphasising health, participation and security, aiming to assess its effectiveness in reducing care costs while fostering self-reliance and mutual assistance. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research methodology was used, focusing on document analysis to explore the rural mutual aid elderly care model within an active ageing framework. The study reviewed policy documents, academic literature and organisational records, using thematic analysis to understand the historical context, policy evolution and institutional support for this model. Findings The research identifies a significant shift from traditional passive care models to those grounded in active ageing principles. The rural mutual aid model, centring on health, participation and security, enables elderly individuals to engage in self-help and mutual assistance, thereby enhancing autonomy and reducing dependency. Key success factors include strong community networks and culturally resonant support systems. However, challenges such as resource limitations and regional disparities suggest areas for further improvement. Research limitations/implications The reliance on document analysis may not fully capture the experiences of elderly participants or account for regional variations in the model’s implementation. Future research could incorporate mixed methods, including interviews or case studies, for a more nuanced understanding of elderly care in rural China. The findings emphasise the need for scalable and adaptable policies to enhance the model’s effectiveness and support culturally appropriate care strategies. Practical implications The research presents significant implications for policymakers and practitioners regarding the rural mutual aid elderly care model. It emphasises the need for scalable policies that address resource limitations and enhance community engagement to improve care effectiveness. Key implications include promoting financial and social sustainability by fostering self-reliance among older adults, prioritising active ageing initiatives to enhance quality of life and community cohesion and adopting localised strategies that consider regional disparities. Moreover, these findings offer a blueprint for other countries facing similar ageing challenges, advocating for a culturally sensitive and community-driven approach to elderly care across East Asia. Social implications The study’s findings significantly impact how ageing is perceived and managed in rural Chinese communities. The shift from traditional, passive elderly care models to those grounded in active ageing principles reflects a societal transformation in valuing and supporting older adults. By promoting health, participation and security, the rural mutual aid elderly care model creates inclusive environments where the elderly actively contribute to their well-being and that of others. This approach challenges perceptions of ageing as a decline, fostering autonomy and meaningful engagement, ultimately reducing social isolation and enhancing cohesion through strengthened intergenerational relationships and shared responsibilities. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by focusing on the rural mutual aid elderly care model in China through active ageing principles, addressing a notable gap in the non-Western application of these concepts. The findings offer valuable recommendations for policymakers and practitioners, emphasising community-driven approaches to ageing challenges in rural areas.

Transnational intergenerational relationships and doing transcultural family through mandarin learning: an ethnographic glance at Chinese dynamics in four intercultural families in Germany.

This article explores the micro dimension within the field of intercultural family studies. The ethnographic study focuses on Chinese elements in transcultural upbringing practices within families with Chinese mothers and German fathers raising their children in Germany. It builds on the notion of family figuration practice in transnational grandparents-grandchildren relations, particularly Confucian-based transnational grandparenting, and the development of a 'third space' for transcultural family upbringing within intercultural families. Additionally, it incorporates the concepts of discourse perspective of culture and assemblage to explore how Chinese culture and identity converge in a transcultural family upbringing context. The findings show that families have varied experiences with transnational intergenerational communication influenced by their life stage, language abilities, and socio-economic factors.

Social relational notions of successful ageing: contesting dominant individualised conceptions of successful ageing by examining migrant intergenerational lived experiences.

Critiques of the concept of successful ageing (SA) include attention to its foundation on an individualised western medical approach that emphasizes personal choice, agency, and lifestyle. This paper aims to examine how individual notions of SA can be linked to, and co-constituted by, relational and intergenerational notions of personhood within the broader socio-economic, familial, and cultural contexts of migration. Qualitative research was conducted in Australia (2020-2021) with 42 Vietnamese migrants using ethnographic interviews and participant observation. Data analysis applied inductive reasoning and intersectional analysis to investigate the notion of SA from the perspectives of research participants. Vietnamese migrants identified three dimensions of SA as significant: family fulfilment, individual achievements, and social engagement and protection. Family fulfilment is the most important; other dimensions are rendered meaningless without it. We found out that different generations interpreted SA in varying ways. Adult children prioritize personal success, self-independence, and longevity while grandparents place greater emphasis on the success of their adult children and maintenance of intergenerational relationships. Migrant understandings of SA are deeply influenced by the socio-cultural contexts of both their homeland and current residence. The emphasis on family in shaping SA reflects a social-relational understanding that contrasts with dominant individualistic models of SA. Given the social relational dimension of SA, further research should investigate how distinct migrant experiences of SA shape access to wellbeing in later life.

Phenomenologies of aging: an introduction

This introduction to the special issue on the phenomenologies of aging explores the relative philosophical neglect of aging as a distinct topic. It critiques the naturalistic reduction of aging, which frames it primarily as decline, and examines the ethico-political implications of this perspective. In order to contextualize the possibilities of forming a new sustained philosophical debate on aging, we describe the earlier advances made in the field by notably Simone de Beauvoir’s work and the developments in critical gerontology, aging studies and the anthropology of aging and the life course. The introduction then programmatically states the need for a revitalized philosophical discourse on aging, suggesting that phenomenological inquiry can reveal the ontological complexities of intergenerational relationships and shared existence. Finally, we briefly introduce the contributions to this special issue by drawing forward the themes of corporeal temporality, generationality and the problem of sharing the world across generations.

Who needs What Support? Exploring the relationship between intergenerational support and digital media use among Chinese older adults: A latent profile analysis

Previous studies have suggested that intergenerational support can help mitigate the digital divide challenges faced by older adults. Guided by the framework of intergenerational solidarity and conflict, this study investigated the heterogeneity of intergenerational support among older individuals and their relationship with digital media usage patterns. Utilizing data from the China Longitudinal Aging and Social Survey (CLASS), which provides biennial data from 2018 to 2020 on 8703 older adults, the study employs longitudinal methods and latent profile analysis (LPA). The analysis identified five distinct intergenerational support profiles: Well Supported, Lack of Instrumental Support, Slight Lack of Emotional Support, Severe Lack of Emotional Support, and Doubly Disadvantaged. The findings indicate that lacking instrumental and emotional support to varying degrees was associated with lower frequency, constant use, and purposeful use of digital media. Additionally, the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of both older adults and their adult children were also closely associated with the nature and effectiveness of intergenerational support. This research highlights the importance of understanding diverse intergenerational support profiles and their relationship with digital media engagement. Theoretically, it enriches the understanding of the heterogeneity of intergenerational relationships within the Chinese family context.

Unmasking the dynamics of intergenerational learning: an ethnographic study of two rural communities in Malawi

ABSTRACT This paper explores the form of intergenerational learning taking place in rural communities in Malawi within the context of changing family structures. It is based on an ethnographic study conducted in Chipanga and Ndemanga rural communities in Malawi. The study explored the kind of intergenerational learning practices in which community members were engaged in their sources of livelihoods. Through participant observation, the researchers examined how and what knowledge and skills required in livelihood activities were passed on intergenerationally. The findings show that despite the emergence of new intergenerational relations, old forms remain key in the transfer of knowledge and skills needed in sources of livelihoods in some rural communities in Malawi. The paper argues that contextualising intergenerational learning can provide a fresh way to understand the confluence of place, time and culture.

In the Shadow of a Parent’s Genocidal Crimes in Rwanda: The Impact of Ambiguous Loss on the Everyday Life of Children of (Ex-)Prisoners

In Rwanda, following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, many people were found guilty of genocide crimes and imprisoned. Their children ended up in a situation of ambiguous loss during and after a parent’s imprisonment. The article presents the multidimensional impact of this loss on the everyday lives of these children and their families according to key themes as they emerged from an ethnographic study in which 21 children and their family members participated. Themes include changed family dynamics and family stress, economic deprivation, incomprehension of a parent’s criminal past, the social stigma of being a child of a génocidaire, and strategies used to make the loss bearable. The uniqueness of the ambiguous loss as experienced by children of perpetrators of genocide in Rwanda compared to those of perpetrators of the Holocaust or other mass crimes relates to an amalgam of factors specific for the context of post-genocide Rwanda; major ones being the severity of genocidal crimes and gacaca courts Rwanda chose as its main form of transitional justice. The case study illustrates how using the prism of intergenerational relations helps to understand some of the transformative and enduring effects of a crisis that deeply affects a society.

A Study on Intergenerational Relationship and Older Adult Well-being

Intergenerational relationships, characterized by the meaningful connections and interactions between individuals of different age groups, play a vital role in the well-being of older adults, influencing their emotional, psychological, and social health. This research investigates how the regularity and quality of these relationships contribute to the overall quality of life in older adults, focusing on aspects such as emotional stability, mental health, social engagement, and life satisfaction. The study emphasizes the need for interventions that foster positive intergenerational connections, recognizing their critical significance in enhancing the emotional and social health of older adults. By nurturing robust intergenerational bonds, communities can better support the well-being of this vulnerable population.

Wisdom of age is the main psychological geroprotector in older people (analytical review)

The article presents an analytical review of the problem of aging from the standpoint of social and spiritual forms of human life. The intensive growth in the number of elderly people has sharply reduced the quality of public attitude towards them. The foundations of social relations between elderly people and the state, intergenerational, family, and other relations have acquired a new colouring, in connection with which the importance of wisdom in solving these problems increases. The wisdom in an elderly person is potent of keeping his inner world in a state of balance. A wise person perceives his presence in life as a paradigm of integration, which determines the coexistence of all age phases during his life. It helps to cast aside regret about past failures, unfulfilled hopes, to find a lot of good even in a far from easy life. Wisdom is the universe to which a person should come in old age. Wisdom will always find something that will please and strengthen the spiritual strength of a person, make his life positions stable, lead away from despondency and a sense of helplessness. The wisdom of age creates self-confidence in an elderly person, pride in the years lived with dignity, in the benefits created, which are used by the young. The concept of “conscious aging” is based on inner strength and spiritual stability over old age. Of course, old age is full of sorrows, but life experience gives it prudence to endure them with dignity. Wisdom serves as a support for an aging person for the normal perception of all life changes, it constantly reminds him that life does not close its doors to him.

Older women migrants in Malaysia and their left-behind families

This paper looks at older Filipino female migrants in Malaysia. Based on semi-structured interviews and FGDs I conducted in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya from February to March 2018 and in August 2018, I found that women’s experiences of aging are linked to gender, social class and societal expectations of their familial roles. For them, family obligations as breadwinners meant working as domestic workers in Malaysia even way into their older years. While old age is not a hindrance to them to perform transnational care toward their left-behind families, tensions and ambivalence are present within their intergenerational relationships.

Cultural Transmission and Intergenerational Relations Among Female Immigrants: Family Structure and Social Integration of South Asian Women in the UK

This paper explores the intricate dynamics of cultural transmission and intergenerational relations among South Asian women in the UK, focusing on how these factors influence family structure and social integration. As primary agents of cultural preservation, South Asian women play a dual role in maintaining traditional values within their families while navigating the complexities of adapting to a new cultural environment. The paper examines the processes of cultural transmission, highlighting the role of language, religious practices, and familial values in fostering cultural continuity. It further delves into the intergenerational dynamics that emerge as younger generations adopt the host society’s norms, often leading to conflicts and negotiations within the family. Additionally, the role of community organizations is analyzed, showcasing their pivotal contribution to social integration by providing support systems and resources tailored to immigrant women. The findings emphasize the resilience and adaptability of South Asian women, whose experiences underline the importance of inclusive policies and initiatives that support cultural diversity and integration. By integrating qualitative insights with visual data representations, this study offers a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted challenges and opportunities faced by South Asian women in the UK.

Can intergenerational relationships mitigate digital exclusion among China’s elderly population?

ABSTRACT In the burgeoning grey economy, the elderly have been widely praised for their digital readiness dividends. However, there remains a significant gap in the literature regarding solutions to the critical issue of digital exclusion faced by the elderly. This study utilizes the microdata from three waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2016, 2018, and 2020 to explore how intergenerational relationships influence the digital exclusion of older adults and identify the mechanisms. The findings reveal that strong intergenerational bonds significantly narrow the digital divide for the elderly. The analysis highlights that such relationships have a more pronounced impact on mitigating elderly digital exclusion among early-aged parents, males, residents of rural areas, and families where parents and offsprings cohabit. The mechanisms through which these relationships exert their influence include promoting intergenerational support exchanges, providing digital guidance from children to parents, and enhancing the elderly’s acceptance of digital technology. Furthermore, this paper employs the ‘one-child policy’ as a quasi-natural experiment to examine the moderating role. The findings underscore the value of nurturing parent-child bonds in reducing digital exclusion among the elderly, offering strategic insights for addressing this issue in societies experiencing both ageing populations and declines in birth rates.

Introduction: Gothic Age and Ageing

In this introduction to the special issue, the editors sketch the major talking points within the recent turn towards examining Gothic fiction through the lens of age and ageing, and vice versa. They consider how the mode’s concern for the return of the past is readable as an anxious treatment of intergenerational relations, which are shown to contain the potential for coercion and exploitation. Gothic fiction brings to the fore the worrisome significations of old age in global societies that increasingly see age as a matter of productive output. The gothic figure of the vampire in particular reworks the archetypes of the ‘burdensome’ and ‘rapacious elder’, but in all cases (including the child-vampire) gains its threat and appeal from inverting age-based expectations. The mode also purposefully represents old age and ageing as abject or gruesome, foregrounding an uncomfortable possibility famously explored in Simone de Beauvoir’s La Vieillesse (1970); attempts to reverse or annul the ageing process receive similar treatment. The Introduction concludes with an overview of the contributions. Diverse in their subjects, and spanning the mode’s eighteenth-century origins through to its twenty-first century effusions, the essays nonetheless jointly evidence that age and ageing are integral to the form and function of the Gothic.

Comparative plastome analysis of Arundinelleae (Poaceae, Panicoideae), with implications for phylogenetic relationships and plastome evolution

BackgroundArundinelleae is a small tribe within the Poaceae (grass family) possessing a widespread distribution that includes Asia, the Americas, and Africa. Several species of Arundinelleae are used as natural forage, feed, and raw materials for paper. The tribe is taxonomically cumbersome due to a paucity of clear diagnostic morphological characters. There has been scant genetic and genomic research conducted for this group, and as a result the phylogenetic relationships and species boundaries within Arundinelleae are poorly understood.ResultsWe compared and analyzed 11 plastomes of Arundinelleae, of which seven plastomes were newly sequenced. The plastomes range from 139,629 base pairs (bp) (Garnotia tenella) to 140,943 bp (Arundinella barbinodis), with a standard four-part structure. The average GC content was 38.39%, but varied in different regions of the plastome. In all, 110 genes were annotated, comprising 76 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Furthermore, 539 simple sequence repeats, 519 long repeats, and 10 hyper-variable regions were identified from the 11 plastomes of Arundinelleae. A phylogenetic reconstruction of Panicoideae based on 98 plastomes demonstrated the monophyly of Arundinella and Garnotia, but the circumscription of Arundinelleae remains unresolved.ConclusionComplete chloroplast genome sequences can improve phylogenetic resolution relative to single marker approaches, particularly within taxonomically challenging groups. All phylogenetic analyses strongly support the monophyly of Arundinella and Garnotia, respectively, but the monophylly of Arundinelleae was not well supported. The intergeneric phylogenetic relationships within Arundinelleae require clarification, indicating that more data is necessary to resolve generic boundaries and evaluate the monophyly of Arundinelleae. A comprehensive taxonomic revision for the tribe is necessary. In addition, the identified hyper-variable regions could function as molecular markers for clarifying phylogenetic relationships and potentially as barcoding markers for species identification in the future.

The Responsibilities of Social Work for Ecosocial Justice

The crisis of civilization we are experiencing unbalances the inter-relational, interdependency and intergenerational relationships of the planetary ecosystem, putting all species at risk. The current relationship between the unlimited economic development model and its social impacts in all regions, territories and communities is analyzed. These are more severe in the global South and the most impoverished populations, which often leads to conflicts, the deterioration of subsystems of life, and, as a result, movements of people. These challenges highlight the close interrelationship between social justice and issues of ecological injustice acting as a new source of inequality. The responsibility of social work, which is called on to incorporate the ecosocial perspective in all its areas and dimensions of practice, is becoming consolidated. To achieve this, five measures are proposed: expanding and strengthening the ethical and political basis of the profession; promoting the skilling-emancipatory models; cutting across all levels, methodologies and action areas; new fields of practice for ecosocial work; and introduction into social work curriculums. Social justice cannot be fully achieved without taking ecological justice into account.

Intergenerational Domination

AbstractThe political and ethical status of future generations is commonly discussed within conceptual frameworks like intergenerational justice, rights, or welfare. In this article, I argue that the concept of domination can provide a novel perspective on the philosophy of intergenerational relations. To that end, I first advance and defend a (slightly) revised conception of domination, drawing on Philip Pettit’s neorepublican view. Second, I establish a prima facie case for the existence of intergenerational domination and address four major objections to the claim that the present generation dominates future generations: the non-concurrency challenge, a modified version of the non-identity problem, the inescapability objection, and the problem of historical domination. Finally, I explore some implications and conceptual advantages of the framework of intergenerational domination. As a theoretical foundation of a comprehensive analysis of structures of domination, the proposed framework may contribute to identifying and reducing domination within and across generations.

Analysis of Gender and Mental Health Differences

With the rapid development of modern civilization, the increasing pressures of contemporary life, the fast pace of living, and the influence of social media, an increasing number of people are suffering from mental health issues. Mental health is an important aspect that everyone should be concerned about. Research has revealed that depression can significantly impact a person's professional and interpersonal skills, potentially affecting ones career trajectory. However, while both men and women face mental health issues, gender differences persist. Numerous studies have indicated that disparities exist in both brain structure and function between males and females. For instance, females may exhibit a greater advantage in emotional processing and social cognition, whereas males may demonstrate enhanced spatial cognition abilities. This study aims to explore gender differences in mental health across four factors. The result shows that, family intergenerational relationships have a greater impact on girls than boys. During their student years, interpersonal relationships within dormitories have a greater influence on boys. In the social sphere, women are more prone to depression than men. From a personal perspective, females are also more likely to experience negative emotions compared to males.