Socioemotional Engagement With Grandchildren: Associations With Loneliness and Quality of Life

Alongside increases in life expectancy, grandparenting has become a common social role; however, its implications for cognitive, social, and physical functioning remain understudied. Participants (N = 1,002) aged 66-79 in the St Louis Personality and Intergenerational Network (SPIN) study completed questionnaires about physical health, health practices, loneliness, and subjective memory and indicated whether they were grandparents. Grandparents (n = 533) also answered questions about involvement with their grandchildren. There were minimal differences in the well-being of grandparents and non-grandparents. Among grandparents, however, those who were relatively more engaged socially and emotionally with their grandchildren reported lower levels of loneliness, more engagement in healthful behaviors, and better subjective memory. Grandparents who reported providing relatively high levels of both instrumental support and socioemotional engagement reported better overall physical health-related quality of life. Findings provide preliminary evidence that social and emotional ties to grandchildren are associated with better physical and cognitive health among grandparents.