Examining the evolution of research on grandparent caregiving

Grandparents caring for grandchildren is a core component of family support and has become an increasingly common experience. To provide a comprehensive overview of research trends and patterns of grandparent caregiving, this study conducts an in-depth exploration of scholarly articles published between 1998 and 2023, drawing on publication data from the Clarivate Web of Science database. The results indicate a noteworthy expansion in global publications over the past decades. Key research areas include Gerontology, Family Studies, and Social Work. The United States emerges as a dominant contributor, especially in the early period, followed by a substantial growth trajectory observed in China. The author-level collaboration network reveals an overall sparse structure with closely-knit teams, alongside a prevailing culture of collaboration. Hot topics include health implications and intervention support, child welfare and maternal employment, grandparenthood and left-behind children, and causes of care and gender disparities. Trend analysis across authorship, research areas, and key topics reveals a shift from an initial focus on caregiving stress, health, and social support to issues related to retirement, fertility, well-being, left-behind children, and labor supply. These shifts are driven by factors such as population ageing, declining fertility rates and the rise of China as a scientific powerhouse. By analyzing these dimensions, this study sheds light on the development and future directions of grandparent caregiving research, thereby affording valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and community workers.