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Life Satisfaction and Grandparenthood: Evidence from a Nationwide Survey

Author

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  • Powdthavee, Nattavudh

    (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)

Abstract

This paper tests whether there is a potential payoff to grandparenthood in terms of life satisfaction. Using the new nationwide survey for the UK, which consists of over 5,000 grandparents and 6,000 non-grandparents aged 40 and above, and a flexible multiple-index ordered probit model with varying thresholds, we find that being a grandparent to at least one grandchild is associated positively and statistically significantly with individuals reporting to be very satisfied with life overall. Parents with no grandchildren are no more satisfied with life compared to non-parents of the same age. The findings suggest that even though children may not contribute significantly to parents' satisfaction with life overall, there may well be long-term benefits to having children, provided that our children go on and have children of their own.

Suggested Citation

  • Powdthavee, Nattavudh, 2011. "Life Satisfaction and Grandparenthood: Evidence from a Nationwide Survey," IZA Discussion Papers 5869, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5869
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    Cited by:

    1. Eiji Yamamura, 2021. "View about consumption tax and grandchildren," Papers 2102.04658, arXiv.org.
    2. Dolores Pushkar & Dorothea Bye & Michael Conway & Carsten Wrosch & June Chaikelson & Jamshid Etezadi & Constantina Giannopoulos & Karen Li & Nassim Tabri, 2014. "Does Child Gender Predict Older Parents’ Well-Being?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 285-303, August.
    3. Aekapol Chongvilaivan & Nattavudh Powdthavee, 2014. "Do Different Work Characteristics Have Different Distributional Impacts on Job Satisfaction? A Study of Slope Heterogeneity in Workers’ Well-Being," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 52(3), pages 426-444, September.
    4. Leimer, Birgit & van Ewijk, Reyn, 2022. "Are grandchildren good for you? Well-being and health effects of becoming a grandparent," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    5. Chongvilaivan, Aekapol & Powdthavee, Nattavudh, 2011. "And I Will Try to Fix You: A Study of Heterogeneity in Job Satisfaction with Implications for Flexible Employment Contracts," IZA Discussion Papers 5868, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Eiji Yamamura, 2021. "Granddaughter and voting for a female candidate," Papers 2102.13464, arXiv.org.
    7. Taehyun Ahn & Kyong Duk Choi, 2019. "Grandparent caregiving and cognitive functioning among older people: evidence from Korea," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 553-586, June.
    8. Janina Reinkowski, 2014. "Empirical Essays in the Economics of Ageing and the Economics of Innovation," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 53.
    9. Gschwandtner, Adelina & Jewell, Sarah L. & Kambhampati, Uma, 2015. "On the Relationship between Lifestyle and Happiness in the UK," 89th Annual Conference, April 13-15, 2015, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 204199, Agricultural Economics Society.
    10. Nguyen, Quynh-Nga, 2024. "Intergenerational time transfer, retirement and public pensions," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    11. Eiji Yamamura & Giorgio Brunello, 2023. "Effect of grandchildren on the happiness of grandparents: Does the grandparent's child's gender matter?," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 37(2), pages 149-163, June.
    12. Brunello, Giorgio & Yamamura, Eiji, 2021. "With a Little Help from My Mother. The Matrilineal Advantage in European Grand Parenting," IZA Discussion Papers 14379, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Brunello, Giorgio & Rocco, Lorenzo, 2016. "Is Childcare Bad for the Mental Health of Grandparents? Evidence from SHARE," IZA Discussion Papers 10022, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Ioana Ramia & Malina Voicu, 2022. "Life Satisfaction and Happiness Among Older Europeans: The Role of Active Ageing," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 667-687, April.
    15. 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.
    16. Giorgio Brunello & Lorenzo Rocco, 2019. "Grandparents in the blues. The effect of childcare on grandparents’ depression," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 587-613, June.
    17. Janina Reinkowski, 2013. "Should We Care that They Care? Grandchild Care and Its Impact on Grandparent Health," ifo Working Paper Series 165, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    18. Miyazawa, Kazutoshi, 2016. "Grandparental child care, child allowances, and fertility," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 7(C), pages 53-60.
    19. Christiansen, Solveig Glestad, 2014. "The association between grandparenthood and mortality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 89-96.
    20. 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).
    21. Orlowski, Johannes & Wicker, Pamela, 2015. "The monetary value of social capital," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 26-36.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    life satisfaction; grandparenthood; grandchildren; generalized ordered probit; understanding society; happiness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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