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Who becomes a grandparent – and when? Educational differences in the chances and timing of grandparenthood

Author

Listed:
  • Jan Skopek

    (Trinity College Dublin)

  • Thomas Leopold

    (Universität zu Köln)

Abstract

Background: Despite recent advances, the demographic understanding of grandparenthood remains limited. Objective: Our study examines educational differences in the transition to grandparenthood. Comparing East and West Germany, we analyze educational differences in a) the chance of becoming a grandparent, and b) the timing of grandparenthood for both men and women. Methods: We used fertility data across three family generations (German Ageing Survey, N = 2,434 men and women born 1933‒1948) and methods of survival time analysis to study educational gradients in the transition to grandparenthood. Results: We found a strong educational gradient in the chances of grandparenthood among West German women: Lower-educated women’s chances of becoming a grandmother were similar to higher-educated women’s chances of becoming a mother. Conclusions: Our findings have implications for research on multi-generational social mobility and on the consequences of grandparenthood. Contribution: Our study is the first to analyze how the transition to grandparenthood is socially stratified.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Skopek & Thomas Leopold, 2017. "Who becomes a grandparent – and when? Educational differences in the chances and timing of grandparenthood," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(29), pages 917-928.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:37:y:2017:i:29
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2017.37.29
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Li-Jung Ku & Sally Stearns & Courtney Houtven & George Holmes, 2012. "The health effects of caregiving by grandparents in Taiwan: an instrumental variable estimation," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 10(4), pages 521-540, December.
    2. Michaela R. Kreyenfeld, 2004. "Fertility decisions in the FRG and GDR," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2004-008, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    3. Michaela Kreyenfeld, 2004. "Fertility Decisions in the FRG and GDR: An Analysis with Data from the German Fertility and Family Survey," Demographic Research Special Collections, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 3(11), pages 275-318.
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    Cited by:

    1. Naomi Biegel & Karel Neels & Layla Van den Berg, 2021. "Uptake of Childcare Arrangements—Grandparental Availability and Availability of Formal Childcare," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-23, February.
    2. Bruno Arpino & Valeria Bordone & Nicoletta Balbo, 2018. "Grandparenting, education and subjective well-being of older Europeans," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 251-263, September.
    3. Rachel Margolis & Ashton M. Verdery, 2019. "A Cohort Perspective on the Demography of Grandparenthood: Past, Present, and Future Changes in Race and Sex Disparities in the United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(4), pages 1495-1518, August.
    4. Ellwardt, Lea & Hank, Karsten & Mendes de Leon, Carlos F., 2021. "Grandparenthood and risk of mortality: Findings from the Health and Retirement Study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    5. Jan Skopek & Thomas Leopold, 2020. "Educational Reproduction in Germany: A Prospective Study Based on Retrospective Data," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(4), pages 1241-1270, August.
    6. Bruno Arpino & Jordi Guma-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.

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    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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