Grandparent Coresidence and Family Well-Being: Implications for Research and Policy

• Published in: The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science Vol. 654; no. 1; pp. 110 - 126
• Main Authors: DUNIFON, RACHEL E., ZIOL-GUEST, KATHLEEN M., KOPKO, KIMBERLY
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.07.2014; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Child abuse; Child care; Child rearing; Children; Children & youth; Coresidence; Economic Recession; Families & family life; Grandparents; Households; Literature Reviews; Living arrangements; Marital Status; Mothers; Parents; Parents & parenting; Recession; Social Welfare; Well Being; Wellbeing; United States > US; grandparent coresidence; living arrangements; child well-being; custodial grandparent; three-generational family
• ISSN: 0002-7162; 1552-3349
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716214526530

U.S. children today have increasingly diverse living arrangements. In 2012, 10 percent of children lived with at least one grandparent; 8 percent lived in three-generational households, consisting of a parent and a grandparent; while 2 percent lived with a grandparent and no parent in the household. This article reviews the literature on grandparent coresidence and presents new research on children coresiding with grandparents in modern families. Findings suggest that grandparent coresidence is quite common and that its prevalence increased during the Great Recession. Additionally, these living arrangements are diverse themselves, varying by the marital status of the parent, the home in which the family lives, and the economic well-being of the family. Suggestions for future research are also proposed.