1,517
Views
0
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Articles

(Grand)childlessness and depression across men and women’s stages of later life

ORCID Icon & ORCID Icon
Pages 365-396 | Received 03 Jun 2022, Accepted 23 Jun 2023, Published online: 06 Jul 2023

References

  • Aassve, A., Goisis, A., & Sironi, M. (2012). Happiness and childbearing across Europe. Social Indicators Research, 108(1), 65–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9866-x
  • Airey, L., Lain, D., Jandrić, J., & Loretto, W. (2021). A selfish generation? ‘Baby boomers’, values, and the provision of childcare for grandchildren. The Sociological Review, 69(4), 812–829. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038026120916104
  • Albertini, M., & Arpino, B. (2018). Childlessness, parenthood and subjective wellbeing: The relevance of conceptualizing parenthood and childlessness as a continuum. SocArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/xtfq6
  • Albertini, M., Kohli, M., & Vogel, C. (2007). Intergenerational transfers of time and money in European families: Common patterns different regimes? Journal of European Social Policy, 17(4), 319–334. https://doi.org/10.1177/0958928707081068
  • Albertini, M., & Mencarini, L. (2014). Childlessness and support networks in later life: New pressures on familistic welfare states? Journal of Family Issues, 35(3), 331–357. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X12462537
  • Angelini, V., & Laferrère, A. (2013). Parental altruism and nest leaving in Europe: Evidence from a retrospective survey. Review of Economics of the Household, 11(3), 393–420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11150-012-9170-9
  • Arpino, B., & Bordone, V. (2014). Does grandparenting pay off? The effect of child care on grandparents’ cognitive functioning. Journal of Marriage and Family, 76(2), 337–351. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12096
  • Arpino, B., Bordone, V., & Balbo, N. (2018). Grandparenting, education and subjective well-being of older Europeans. European Journal of Ageing, 15(3), 251–263. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-018-0467-2
  • Arpino, B., & Gómez-León, M. (2020). Consequences on depression of combining grandparental childcare with other caregiving roles. Aging & Mental Health, 24(8), 1263–1270. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2019.1584788
  • Ates, M. (2017). Does grandchild care influence grandparents’ self-rated health? Evidence from a fixed effects approach. Social Science & Medicine, 190, 67–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.08.021
  • Bauer, G., Brandt, M., & Kneip, T. (2022). The role of parenthood for life satisfaction of older women and men in Europe. Journal of Happiness Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00600-8
  • Beaujouan, É., & Sobotka, T. (2019). Late childbearing continues to increase in developed countries. Population & Societies, 562(1), 1–4. https://www.ined.fr/en/publications/population-and-societies/late-childbearing-continues-increase-developed-countries/
  • Bergmann, M., Kneip, T., De Luca, G., & Scherpenzeel, A. (2019). Survey participation in the survey of health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), Wave 1–7. SHARE Working Paper Series 41-2019. https://share-eric.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/SHARE_Working_Paper/WP_Series_41_2019_Bergmann_et_al.pdf.
  • Bordone, V., & Arpino, B. (2016). Do grandchildren influence how old you feel? Journal of Aging and Health, 28(6), 1055–1072. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264315618920
  • Bordone, V., & Arpino, B. (2019). Grandparenthood, grandchild care and depression among older people in 18 countries. Journal of Family Research, 31(2), 216–239. https://doi.org/10.3224/zff.v31i2.06
  • Bordone, V., & Arpino, B. (2022). Is there a rejuvenating effect of (grand)childcare? A longitudinal study on German data. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 77(2), 446–455. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab021
  • Börsch-Supan, A. (2022a). Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 1 (Release Version: 8.0.0) [SHARE-ERIC]. Data set. https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w1.800
  • Börsch-Supan, A. (2022b). Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 2 (Release Version: 8.0.0) [SHARE-ERIC]. Data set. https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w2.800
  • Börsch-Supan, A. (2022c). Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 3 – SHARELIFE (Release Version: 8.0.0) [SHARE-ERIC]. Data set. https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w3.800
  • Börsch-Supan, A. (2022d). Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 4 (Release Version: 8.0.0) [SHARE-ERIC]. Data set. https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w4.800
  • Börsch-Supan, A. (2022e). Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 5 (Release Version: 8.0.0) [SHARE-ERIC]. Data set. https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w5.800
  • Börsch-Supan, A. (2022f). Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 6 (Release Version: 8.0.0) [SHARE-ERIC]. Data set. https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w6.800
  • Börsch-Supan, A. (2022g). Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 7 (Release Version: 8.0.0) [SHARE-ERIC]. Data set. https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w7.800
  • Börsch-Supan, A. (2022h). Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 8 (Release Version: 8.0.0) [SHARE-ERIC]. Data set. https://doi.org/10.6103/SHARE.w8.800
  • Börsch-Supan, A., Brandt, M., Hunkler, C., Kneip, T., Korbmacher, J., Malter, F., Schaan, B., Stuck, S., & Zuber, S. (2013). Data resource profile: The survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (SHARE). International Journal of Epidemiology, 42(4), 992–1001. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyt088
  • Boudiny, K. (2013). ‘Active ageing’: From empty rhetoric to effective policy tool. Ageing and Society, 33(6), 1077–1098. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X1200030X
  • Brunello, G., & Rocco, L. (2019). Grandparents in the blues. The effect of childcare on grandparents’ depression. Review of Economics of the Household, 17(2), 587–613. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11150-018-9432-2
  • Buber, I., & Engelhardt, H. (2008). Children’s impact on the mental health of their older mothers and fathers: Findings from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. European Journal of Ageing, 5(1), 31–45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-008-0074-8
  • Buber, I., & Engelhardt, H. (2011). The association between age and depressive symptoms among older men and women in Europe. Findings from SHARE. Comparative Population Studies, 36(1), 103–126. https://doi.org/10.12765/CPoS-2011-02.
  • Costa, É., de, C., Dewey, M., Stewart, R., Banerjee, S., Huppert, F., Mendonca-Lima, C., Bula, C., Reisches, F., Wancata, J., & Ritchie, K. (2008). Ascertaining late-life depressive symptoms in Europe: An evaluation of the survey version of the EURO-D scale in 10 nations. The SHARE project. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 17(1), 12–29. https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.236
  • Courtin, E., Knapp, M., Grundy, E., & Avendano-Pabon, M. (2015). Are different measures of depressive symptoms in old age comparable? An analysis of the CES-D and Euro-D scales in 13 countries. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research, 24(4), 287–304. https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.1489
  • Danielsbacka, M., Křenková, L., & Tanskanen, A. O. (2022). Grandparenting, health, and well-being: A systematic literature review. European Journal of Ageing, 19(3), 341–368. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-021-00674-y
  • Danielsbacka, M., & Tanskanen, A. O. (2016). The association between grandparental investment and grandparents’ happiness in Finland. Personal Relationships, 23(4), 787–800. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12160
  • Di Gessa, G., Bordone, V., & Arpino, B. (2020). Becoming a grandparent and its effect on well-being: The role of order of transitions, time, and gender. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 75(10), 2250–2262. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz135
  • Di Gessa, G., Glaser, K., & Tinker, A. (2016a). The health impact of intensive and nonintensive grandchild care in Europe: New evidence from SHARE. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 71(5), 867–879. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbv055
  • Di Gessa, G., Glaser, K., & Tinker, A. (2016b). The impact of caring for grandchildren on the health of grandparents in Europe: A lifecourse approach. Social Science & Medicine, 152, 166–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.01.041
  • Dykstra, P. A., & Keizer, R. (2009). The wellbeing of childless men and fathers in mid-life. Ageing and Society, 29(8), 1227–1242. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X08008374
  • Dykstra, P. A., & Wagner, M. (2007). Pathways to childlessness and late-life outcomes. Journal of Family Issues, 28(11), 1487–1517. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X07303879
  • Elder, G. H., Johnson, M. K., & Crosnoe, R. (2003). The emergence and development of life course theory. In J. T. Mortimer & M. J. Shanahan (Eds.), Handbook of the life course. Handbooks of sociology and social research (pp. 3–19). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-306-48247-2_1
  • European Commission. (2021). Green paper on ageing. Fostering solidarity and responsibility between generations. European Commission. https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/d918b520-63a9-11eb-aeb5-01aa75ed71a1
  • Ferraro, K. F., Shippee, T. P., & Schafer, M. H. (2009). Cumulative inequality theory for research on aging and the life course. In V. L. Bengston, D. Gans, N. M. Pulney, & M. Silverstein (Eds.), Handbook of theories of aging (pp. 413–433). Springer Publishing Company.
  • Furstenberg, F. F. (2005). Non-normative life course transitions: Reflections on the significance of demographic events on lives. Advances in Life Course Research, 10, 155–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1040-2608(05)10005-7
  • Gibney, S., Delaney, L., Codd, M., & Fahey, T. (2017). Lifetime childlessness, depressive mood and quality of life among older Europeans. Social Indicators Research, 130(1), 305–323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-015-1177-1
  • Goode, W. J. (1960). A theory of role strain. American Sociological Review, 483–496. https://doi.org/10.2307/2092933
  • Grundy, E., & Henretta, J. C. (2006). Between elderly parents and adult children: A new look at the intergenerational care provided by the ‘sandwich generation’. Ageing and Society, 26(5), 707–722. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X06004934
  • Grundy, E., Van Den Broek, T., & Keenan, K. (2019). Number of children, partnership status, and later-life depression in Eastern and Western Europe. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 74(2), 353–363. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx050
  • Hank, K. (2010). Childbearing history, later-life health, and mortality in Germany. Population Studies, 64(3), 275–291. https://doi.org/10.1080/00324728.2010.506243
  • Hank, K., & Buber, I. (2009). Grandparents caring for their grandchildren: Findings from the 2004 survey of health, ageing, and retirement in Europe. Journal of Family Issues, 30(1), 53–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X08322627
  • Hank, K., & Wagner, M. (2013). Parenthood, marital status, and well-being in later life: Evidence from SHARE. Social Indicators Research, 114(2), 639–653. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-012-0166-x
  • Hansen, T., Slagsvold, B., & Moum, T. (2009). Childlessness and psychological well-being in midlife and old age: An examination of parental status effects across a range of outcomes. Social Indicators Research, 94(2), 343–362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9426-1
  • Huijts, T., Kraaykamp, G., & Subramanian, S. V. (2013). Childlessness and psychological well-being in context: A multilevel study on 24 European Countries. European Sociological Review, 29(1), 32–47. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcr037
  • Kaufman, G., & Elder, G. H. (2003). Grandparenting and age identity. Journal of Aging Studies, 17(3), 269–282. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-4065(03)00030-6
  • Keenan, K., & Grundy, E. (2019). Fertility history and physical and mental health changes in European older adults. European Journal of Population, 35(3), 459–485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10680-018-9489-x
  • Keizer, R., Dykstra, P. A., & Poortman, A.-R. (2010). Life outcomes of childless men and fathers. European Sociological Review, 26(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcn080
  • Kendig, H., Dykstra, P. A., Van Gaalen, R. I., & Melkas, T. (2007). Health of aging parents and childless individuals. Journal of Family Issues, 28(11), 1457–1486. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X07303896
  • Keyes, C. L. M., & Westerhof, G. J. (2012). Chronological and subjective age differences in flourishing mental health and major depressive episode. Aging & Mental Health, 16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2011.596811
  • Kim, G., Allen, R. S., Wang, S. Y., Park, S., Perkins, E. A., & Parmelee, P. (2019). The relation between multiple informal caregiving roles and subjective physical and mental health status among older adults: Do racial/ethnic differences exist? The Gerontologist, 59(3), 499–508. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx196
  • Kim, H. J., Kang, H., & Johnson-Motoyama, M. (2017). The psychological well-being of grandparents who provide supplementary grandchild care: A systematic review. Journal of Family Studies, 23(1), 118–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2016.1194306
  • Leopold, T., & Skopek, J. (2015). The demography of grandparenthood: An international profile. Social Forces, 94(2), 801–832. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/sov066
  • Leopold, T., Skopek, J., & Schulz, F. (2018). Gender convergence in housework time: A life course and cohort perspective. Sociological Science, 5, 281–303. https://doi.org/10.15195/v5.a13
  • Mahne, K., & Huxhold, O. (2015). Grandparenthood and subjective well-being: Moderating effects of educational level. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 70(5), 782–792. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbu147
  • Mahne, K., & Motel-Klingebiel, A. (2012). The importance of the grandparent role – A class specific phenomenon? Evidence from Germany. Advances in Life Course Research, 17(3), 145–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2012.06.001
  • Mann, R. (2007). Out of the shadows?: Grandfatherhood, age and masculinities. Journal of Aging Studies, 21(4), 281–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2007.05.008
  • Mikucka, M. (2020). Old-Age trajectories of life satisfaction. Do singlehood and childlessness hurt more when people get older? Swiss Journal of Sociology, 46(3), 397–424. https://doi.org/10.2478/sjs-2020-0020
  • Moor, N., & Komter, A. (2012). Family ties and depressive mood in Eastern and Western Europe. Demographic Research, 27(December), 201–232. https://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2012.27.8
  • Myrskylä, M., & Margolis, R. (2014). Happiness: Before and after the kids. Demography, 51(5), 1843–1866. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13524-014-0321-x
  • Neugarten, B. L., Moore, J. W., & Lowe, J. C. (1965). Age norms, age constraints, and adult socialization. American Journal of Sociology, 70(6), 710–717. https://doi.org/10.1086/223965
  • O’Bryant, S. L. (1985). Neighbors’ support of older widows who live alone in their own homes. The Gerontologist, 25(3), 305–310. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/25.3.305
  • Pakpahan, E., Hoffmann, R., & Kröger, H. (2017). The long arm of childhood circumstances on health in old age: Evidence from SHARELIFE. Advances in Life Course Research, 31, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcr.2016.10.003
  • Petersen, M. L., Wang, Y., Van Der Laan, M. J., & Bangsberg, D. R. (2006). Assessing the effectiveness of antiretroviral adherence interventions: Using marginal structural models to replicate the findings of randomized controlled trials. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 43(Supplement 1), S96–S103. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.qai.0000248344.95135.8d
  • Pinquart, M. (2003). Loneliness in married, widowed, divorced, and never-married older adults. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 20(1), 31–53. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075030201002
  • Powdthavee, N. (2011). Life satisfaction and grandparenthood: Evidence from a nationwide survey (IZA Discussion Paper Series. 5869). https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1906172.
  • Prince, M. J., Reischies, F., Beekman, A. T. F., Fuhrer, R., Jonker, C., Kivela, S.-L., Lawlor, B. A., Lobo, A., Magnusson, H., & Fichter, M. (1999). Development of the EURO–D scale – A European Union initiative to compare symptoms of depression in 14 European centres. British Journal of Psychiatry, 174(4), 330–338. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.174.4.330
  • Quashie, N. T., Arpino, B., Antczak, R., & Mair, C. A. (2021). Childlessness and health among older adults: Variation across five outcomes and 20 Countries. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 76(2), 348–359. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz153
  • Rotkirch, A., & Janhunen, K. (2010). Maternal guilt. Evolutionary Psychology, 8(1), 90–106. https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491000800108
  • Schnettler, S., & Wöhler, T. (2016). No children in later life, but more and better friends? Substitution mechanisms in the personal and support networks of parents and the childless in Germany. Ageing and Society, 36(7), 1339–1363. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X15000197
  • Settersten, R. A., Jr., & Hägestad, G. O. (1996). What’s the latest? Cultural age deadlines for family transitions. The Gerontologist, 36(2), 178–188. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/36.2.178
  • Sheppard, P., & Monden, C. (2019). Becoming a first-time grandparent and subjective well-being: A fixed effects approach. Journal of Marriage and Family, 81(4), 1016–1026. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12584
  • Skopek, J. (2021). Grandparent status and multigenerational relationships. In N. F. Schneider & M. Kreyenfeld (Eds.), Research handbook on the sociology of the family (pp. 278–299). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788975544.00028
  • Słoczyński, T., Uysal, S. D., & Wooldridge, J. M. (2022). Doubly robust estimation of local average treatment effects using inverse probability weighted regression adjustment. arXiv preprint arXiv:2208.01300 [Preprint]. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2208.01300
  • Sobotka, T. (2017). Childlessness in Europe: Reconstructing long-term trends among women born in 1900–1972. In M. Kreyenfeld & D. Konietzka (Eds.), Childlessness in Europe: Contexts, causes, and consequences (pp. 17–53). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44667-7_2
  • Soldevila-Domenech, N., Forero, C. G., Alayo, I., Capella, J., Colom, J., Malmusi, D., Mompart, A., Mortier, P., Puértolas, B., & Sánchez, N. (2021). Mental well-being of the general population: Direct and indirect effects of socioeconomic, relational and health factors. Quality of Life Research, 30(8), 2171–2185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-021-02813-5
  • Tanskanen, A. O., Danielsbacka, M., Coall, D. A., & Jokela, M. (2019). Transition to grandparenthood and subjective well-being in older Europeans: A within-person investigation using longitudinal Data. Evolutionary Psychology, 17(3), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474704919875948
  • Thiele, D. M., & Whelan, T. A. (2008). The relationship between grandparent satisfaction, meaning, and generativity. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 66(1), 21–48. https://doi.org/10.2190/AG.66.1.b
  • Thomas, P. A., Liu, H., & Umberson, D. (2017). Family relationships and well-being. Innovation in Aging, 1(3), https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igx025
  • Umberson, D., Pudrovska, T., & Reczek, C. (2010). Parenthood, childlessness, and well-being: A life course perspective. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 612–629. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00721.x
  • Umberson, D., & Thomeer, M. B. (2020). Family matters: Research on family ties and health, 2010 to 2020. Journal of Marriage and Family, 82(1), 404–419. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12640
  • Villar, F., Serrat, R., & Pratt, M. W. (2021). Older age as a time to contribute: A scoping review of generativity in later life. Ageing and Society, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X21001379
  • Walker, R., & Luszcz, M. (2009). The health and relationship dynamics of late-life couples: A systematic review of the literature. Ageing and Society, 29(3), 455–480. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X08007903
  • Wenger, C. G., Dykstra, P. A., Tuula, M., & Knipscheer, K. (2007). Social embeddedness and late-life parenthood: Community activity, close ties, and support networks. Journal of Family Issues, 28(11), 1419–1456. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X07303895
  • Werner, P., Lowenstein, A., & Katz, R. (1998). The meaning of grandparenthood: A critical review and research agenda. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 10(6), 431–439. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03340155
  • Westerhof, G. J., & Barrett, A. E. (2005). Age identity and subjective well-being: A comparison of the United States and Germany. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 60(3), S129–S136. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/60.3.S129
  • Yang, Y. (2021). A multilevel analysis of the impact of transitioning to grandparenthood on individuals’ depression in England, Europe and China. Aging & Mental Health, 0, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.1963952
  • Železná, L. (2018). Care-giving to grandchildren and elderly parents: Role conflict or family solidarity? Ageing and Society, 38(5), 974–994. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X16001434
  • Zimmer, Z., Hanson, H. A., & Smith, K. R. (2016). Childhood socioeconomic status, adult socioeconomic status, and old-age health trajectories: Connecting early, middle, and late life. Demographic Research, 34, 285–320. https://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2016.34.10
  • Zoutewelle-Terovan, M., & Liefbroer, A. C. (2018). Swimming against the stream: Non-normative family transitions and loneliness in later life across 12 nations. The Gerontologist, 58(6), 1096–1108. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx184