Coresidence with Grandparents and Children’s Socioemotional Health in Kindergarten

Abstract

This study explores linkages between various living arrangements with and without grandparents and children’s socioemotional functioning in kindergarten. Changing family patterns and increases in longevity have resulted in increasing numbers of American children coresiding with grandparents. Despite these trends, little scholarly attention has been given to associations between grandparental coresidence and children’s socioemotional health. Data comes from the second wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, 2010–2011 kindergarten cohort. Using a sample of 11,486 eligible children, associations between various living arrangements, with and without grandparents, and four measures of socioemotional health (interpersonal skills, self-control, and internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors) are explored. Multiple linear regression models are weighted to produce nationally representative estimates. Findings indicate that children in one-parent multigenerational households (MGHs) and grandfamilies (with grandparent(s) as the primary caregiver and no parents) have less favorable teacher-reported socioemotional health outcomes compared to those in two-parent households without grandparents. However, between-group comparisons of children in similar living arrangements in terms of the number of parents (two, one, none), with and without grandparents, suggest the addition of a grandparent to a household is a net neutral for children’s social and emotional well-being. Having more favorable economic and primary caregiver resources may help mitigate adverse socioemotional outcomes for children in non-nuclear families, including those with grandparents. Efforts to strengthen the resource portfolios of such families should be prioritized in order to reduce observed socioemotional disadvantages for coresident children.