| Title: |
More than Just Treats? Effects of Grandparental Support for Children Growing Up in Adversity |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Madelon M. E. Riem; Fred Hasselman (ORCID 0000-0003-1384-8361); Constantina Psyllou; Anne-Laura van Harmelen; Anna Pearce; Helen Minnis; Paul Lodder; Maaike Cima |
| Source: |
Developmental Science. 2025 28(1). |
| Availability: |
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
22 |
| Publication Date: |
2025 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: |
Grandparents; Role; Child Development; Social Development; Emotional Development; At Risk Persons; Young Children; Child Rearing; Child Care; Financial Support; Child Abuse; Mental Disorders; Family Violence; Family Structure; Child Behavior; Behavior Problems |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: |
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; Conflict Tactics Scale |
| DOI: |
10.1111/desc.13577 |
| ISSN: |
1363-755X; 1467-7687 |
| Abstract: |
This study examined whether grandparental support is a protective factor for children's socio-emotional development in the context of adversity. Using longitudinal data from the Millennium Cohort Study, we investigated the effects of grandparental support across development in children with and without adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Socio-emotional development was assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire when children were aged 3 years (N = 10,186), 5 years (N = 10,412) and 7 years (N = 10,551). Parent-reported grandparental childcare, coresidence and financial help were assessed and parents reported on the occurrence of five ACEs: physical and emotional abuse assessed with the Straus' Conflict Tactics Scale, parental mental illness assessed with the Kessler scale, domestic violence and parental separation. We found that children with relatively higher levels of ACEs showed more prosocial behaviour and less externalizing problems when they received grandparental care compared to non-grandparental (in)formal care, but only at age 3. By age 7, children with higher levels of ACEs receiving grandparental care showed less prosocial behaviour and more externalizing problems. In addition, grandparental financial support at age 3 was related to more externalizing problems. Post-hoc analyses showed that internalizing and externalizing behaviours at age 5 were related to an increased probability of grandparental childcare at age 7, indicating that children's socio-emotional problems trigger grandparental support. Our findings point to a protective effect of grandparental care on children's socio-emotional development at age 3. Our results highlight the importance of going beyond the nuclear family towards the impact of the wider family network when examining children's socio-emotional development. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Notes: |
https://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-Series-2000031 |
| Entry Date: |
2024 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1454652 |
| Database: |
ERIC |