Becoming a Grandparent and Its Effect on Well-Being: The Role of Order of Transitions, Time, and Gender

Abstract Objectives Although the majority of older people are grandparents, little is known on whether and how the transition into grandparenthood affects their well-being. Moreover, evidence on whether the order of the transition, the time since grandchild’s birth, and the sociodemographic characteristics of the offspring modify the grandparental well-being is scarce. Taking into account these factors, our study examines the association between becoming a grandparent and subsequent well-being. Methods Our study is based on grandparents aged 50 and older from Waves 4–6 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Using longitudinal analyses, we investigate associations between becoming a grandparent and subsequent life satisfaction, positive affect, and depression controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors as well as health and well-being at baseline. Furthermore, we explore the role of modifying factors such as whether the grandchild was first-born, the time since transition, and sociodemographic characteristics of the offspring who became a parent. Results Becoming a grandparent has a positive effect on well-being only among women who became grandmothers for the first time and via their daughters. Moreover, this effect is particularly strong in the proximity of the birth of the grandchild. No effects were found among first-time grandfathers. Having an additional grandchild does not affect well-being of grandparents, regardless of the offspring’s characteristics. Discussion Transitioning to grandparenthood per se does not affect well-being. More research is needed to further investigate if interpersonal relationships and changes in roles triggered by becoming a grandparent could help promote well-being in later life.

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Impact of nutrition on ageing the process. Bridging the Gap: the animal perspective

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114514003900 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 113 (S1) ◽

pp. S23-S25 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Richard F. Butterwick

Keyword(s):

Current Knowledge ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Companion Paper ◽

Ageing Process ◽

Fundamental Biology ◽

Health And Well Being

In pets, as in humans, there is increasing interest in interventions that promote ‘health and well-being’ into later life and extend these beyond their current limits. The purpose of this review was to assess the relevance of current knowledge of ageing in humans, described in a companion paper, as well as reviewing recent research on ageing in pet populations. The role of diet and other factors that influence the ageing process and ultimately lifespan in pets are highlighted in this review; in addition, future opportunities and challenges to further our understanding of the ageing process in pets are identified. Advancing knowledge of the fundamental biology of ageing will be key for the development and evaluation of strategies that extend both the quality and the quantity of lifespan in human and pet populations.

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The individual: growing into society

Social Determinantsof Health ◽

10.1332/policypress/9781447336846.003.0001 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Adrian Bonner

Keyword(s):

Social Inclusion ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Neuropsychological Development ◽

Supportive Environment ◽

Mind And Body ◽

The Individual ◽

Fear And Anxiety ◽

Health And Well Being

This chapter examines the main developmental processes underlying future emotional and social behaviours. Early life experiences, combined with the development of social networks, exert a strong influence on health and well-being in later life, which in turn are mediated by the development of prosocial behaviour, coping skills, resilience, and optimal cognitive functioning. These complex issues require a healthy mind and body and the motivation to benefit and learn from a supportive environment. The chapter first provides an overview of neuropsychological development and the role of affection, fear and anxiety in early development before discussing social anxiety, communication and socialisation, and the well-being of children. It also considers the interrelationships between poverty, child abuse and neglect and concludes with an assessment of social inclusion strategies, troubled families, deviant and anti-social behaviour, the link between mental health and human distress.

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From Getting Ahead to Getting Back on One’s Feet: Performing Masculinity as a Self-help Reader

Men and Masculinities ◽

10.1177/1097184x17724188 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 716-737 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Scott McLean ◽

Laurie Vermeylen

Keyword(s):

Interpersonal Relationships ◽

Small Proportion ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Well Being ◽

Financial Success ◽

Scholarly Research ◽

Self Help ◽

Health And Well Being ◽

Insight Into

Despite the fact that millions of men engage in self-help reading, there has been little scholarly research about the reception of self-help texts by male readers. We explore how men read self-help books through presenting the results of forty-five qualitative interviews with readers of books in the domains of career and financial success, health and well-being, and interpersonal relationships. Our interviewees expressed awareness of the stigmatized role of the male self-help reader and performed two patterns of masculinity, influenced by hegemonic ideals, within this context: the resourceful man getting ahead in life; and the wounded man getting back on his feet. A small proportion of our interviewees challenged conventional notions of masculinity, demonstrating the potential for men to read self-help books in diverse ways. Our findings shed important insight into how men read self-help books and into the performance of masculinity in the context of such reading.

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The Role of Psychology in Addressing Worldwide Challenges of Poverty and Gender Inequality

Zeitschrift für Psychologie ◽

10.1027/2151-2604/a000360 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 227 (2) ◽

pp. 95-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Toni C. Antonucci ◽

Martha Bial ◽

Carole Cox ◽

Ruth Finkelstein ◽

Laura Marchado

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Social Relations ◽

Well Being ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Poverty And Inequality ◽

Development Goals ◽

And Gender ◽

The Individual ◽

Health And Well Being

Abstract. The United Nations has identified 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) designed to improve the health and well-being of the world’s most vulnerable populations. The authors illustrate the potential role of psychology – in particular, illustrative theories and research – in achieving two SDGs: SDG 1 (reduce poverty) and SDG 5 (achieve gender equality and empowerment). We selectively consider life span (individual) developmental and life course (environmental structure) theories as useful for explaining how poverty and inequality influence the individual and community at individual points in time and over time. Further, we use both the theoretical approach outlined in the convoy model of social relations as well as multinational empirical evidence to illustrate how naturally occurring resources can be garnered to better explain, understand, identify, and create successful intervention programs. We emphasize that psychology is fundamental to achieving SDGs and that we should focus on how to change the behavior and expectations of individuals and societies to achieve sustainable development that contributes to a world that celebrates optimal and sustainable development for all.

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Arts and social sustainability: Promoting intergenerational relations through community theatre

Journal of Applied Arts and Health ◽

10.1386/jaah_00012_1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 255-266

Author(s):

Anthony Killick

Keyword(s):

Intergenerational Relationships ◽

Social Sustainability ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Cultural Practice ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Community Theatre ◽

Shared Space ◽

Health And Well Being

It is now widely argued that arts and cultural activities play a significant role in maintaining health and well-being, particularly in later life. At the same time, there are mutual benefits gained by older and younger people who participate in what scholars and cultural practitioners are beginning to call ‘intergenerational shared space’. Drawing on semi-structured interviews carried out with members and organizers of the Ages and Stages theatre group in Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom, this article examines the role of community theatre as an arts practice that facilitates intergenerational relationships. The findings point to a need for a deeper integration of arts and cultural practice, intergenerational practice and urban regeneration schemes.

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Spiritual perspectives of Black Caribbean and White British older adults: development of a spiritual typology in later life

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x12000074 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 511-538 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

EUAN SADLER ◽

SIMON BIGGS ◽

KAREN GLASER

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Developmental Process ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Black Caribbean ◽

Spiritual Perspectives ◽

Depth Interviews ◽

Health And Well Being

ABSTRACTSpirituality is positively linked to health and well-being in later life, particularly among older adults of black ethnic groups. However, definitions of spirituality in the literature have largely been theoretically informed, rather than based on the views of older people themselves. We examined the spiritual perspectives of Black Caribbean and White British older adults based on in-depth interviews with 34 individuals aged between 60 and 95 years. Our aim was to develop a spiritual typology to add to an understanding of the process of spirituality in later life. Findings showed that Black Caribbean older individuals mostly defined spirituality in relation to their belief in a transcendent God, whereas White British older individuals tended to draw upon a wider range of spiritual, religious or secular notions. A spirituality typology in later life captured four categories of relationship, between ‘God to self’, ‘self to God’, ‘self to universe’ and ‘self to life’. The typology highlights the central role of ethnicity in shaping spiritual perspectives in later life, and identifies the multidimensional nature of spirituality among older adults, reflecting in part a developmental process, although a process which is socially and culturally constructed.

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Psychological Resilience Provides No Independent Protection From Suicidal Risk

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000364 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 130-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Danica W. Y. Liu ◽

A. Kate Fairweather-Schmidt ◽

Richard Burns ◽

Rachel M. Roberts ◽

Kaarin J. Anstey

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Well Being ◽

Current Status ◽

Psychological Resilience ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Life Project ◽

Resilience Factors ◽

First Time

Abstract. Background: Little is known about the role of resilience in the likelihood of suicidal ideation (SI) over time. Aims: We examined the association between resilience and SI in a young-adult cohort over 4 years. Our objectives were to determine whether resilience was associated with SI at follow-up or, conversely, whether SI was associated with lowered resilience at follow-up. Method: Participants were selected from the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Project from Canberra and Queanbeyan, Australia, aged 28–32 years at the first time point and 32–36 at the second. Multinomial, linear, and binary regression analyses explored the association between resilience and SI over two time points. Models were adjusted for suicidality risk factors. Results: While unadjusted analyses identified associations between resilience and SI, these effects were fully explained by the inclusion of other suicidality risk factors. Conclusion: Despite strong cross-sectional associations, resilience and SI appear to be unrelated in a longitudinal context, once risk/resilience factors are controlled for. As independent indicators of psychological well-being, suicidality and resilience are essential if current status is to be captured. However, the addition of other factors (e.g., support, mastery) makes this association tenuous. Consequently, resilience per se may not be protective of SI.

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