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The Effect of Grandparenting on the Depression and Life Satisfaction among Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Adults

Author

Listed:
  • Lijuan Chen

    (The High-Quality Development Evaluation Institute, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210003, China)

  • Yiang Li

    (Division of the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA)

  • Qiuyue Yang

    (School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China)

Abstract
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.

Suggested Citation

  • Lijuan Chen & Yiang Li & Qiuyue Yang, 2022. "The Effect of Grandparenting on the Depression and Life Satisfaction among Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-12, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:17:p:10790-:d:901481
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Merril Silverstein & Zhen Cong & Shuzhuo Li, 2006. "Intergenerational Transfers and Living Arrangements of Older People in Rural China: Consequences for Psychological Well-Being," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 61(5), pages 256-266.
    2. Bruno Arpino & Jordi Gumà-Lao & Albert Julià, 2018. "Family histories and the demography of grandparenthood," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 39(42), pages 1105-1150.
    3. Feinian Chen & Guangya Liu, 2012. "The Health Implications of Grandparents Caring for Grandchildren in China," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 67(1), pages 99-112.
    4. Yiqing Gan & Eric Fong, 2020. "Living separately but living close: Coresidence of adult children and parents in urban China," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(12), pages 315-328.
    5. Jin Feng & Xiaohan Zhang, 2018. "Retirement and Grandchild Care in Urban China," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 240-264, April.
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