Attitudes toward Grandparental Involvement in Hong Kong: A Trend Analysis

Mengtong Chen, Qiqi Chen, Camilla Kin Ming Lo, Susan J. Kelley, Ko Ling Chan () and Patrick Ip
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Mengtong Chen: Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ma Liu Shui, Hong Kong, China
Qiqi Chen: Department of Social Work, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Camilla Kin Ming Lo: Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
Susan J. Kelley: Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
Ko Ling Chan: Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China
Patrick Ip: Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-14

Abstract: This article examines individuals’ attitudes toward the involvement of grandparents in family issues in Hong Kong. While existing studies have largely focused on the nature and types of grandparents’ involvement in childcare, it is worth conducting a quantitative investigation of the attitudes in the general population about grandparental involvement. Drawing on the 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 waves of the Family Surveys, the study examined the trend in attitudes toward grandparental involvement with 8932 HK residents. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to assess individual and family relationship factors associated with the attitudes toward grandparental involvement. Results show that although most people held positive attitudes toward grandparental involvement, there was a significant drop in the agreement with grandparental involvement in 2017 across all age groups. The findings imply that intergenerational support tends to be weakened in HK in recent years. Involving grandparents in family issues in HK was more likely to be need-driven rather than value-driven, as parent respondents had relatively more positive attitudes toward grandparental involvement compared with non-parents. Positive family and intergenerational relationships were significantly associated with the positive attitudes toward grandparental involvement. Policymakers and service providers should recognize the changes in people’s attitudes toward family lives and provide appropriate support such as family counselling, (grand)parenting programs and childcare support to promote the wellbeing of families and older adults.

Keywords: grandparent; family relations; family structure; Hong Kong (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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