Gerontology & Geriatric Research

Abstract

The Grandparent-Grandchild Relationship and Its Effects on the Development of Young Children s Social Competence

Yan Li, Tiantian Liu, Ziwei Gao and Huihua He

Objective: Grandparenting is a widespread phenomenon in Mainland China. In the present study, we examined the grandparents-grandchildren relationship and its influences on preschool children’s social competence.

Methods: One hundred and ninety-nine elder adults who live together with their young grandchildren completed Grandparents-grandchildren Relationship Scale with demographic information. The children’s social competence were reported by their teachers.

Results: Correlation analyses showed that all dimensions of grandparents-grandchildren relationship were significant correlated with young children’s social competence. Regression analyses some significant effects of some dimensions of the relationship of grandparents-grandchildren on children’s social competence (intimacy, β=6.137, SE=1.170, p<0.01; direction-sharing, β=4.631, SE=0.802, p<0.01; avoidance, β=-1.370, SE=0.662, p=0.04, and conflict-restriction, β=-5.176, SE=0.475, p<0.01).

Conclusion: We can evaluate the relationship of grandparents-grandchildren from 6 dimensions and this relationship could predict the children’s social competence: the level of intimacy and direction-sharing could positively predict the children’s social competence while the level of avoidance and conflict-restriction negatively predict the children’s social competence. Therefore, to enhance children’s social competence, we should do something to increase the grandparents-grandchildren’s intimacy and direction-sharing, and decrease the avoidant and conflict-restrict relation between the two generations.