TY - JOUR
T1 - Aggressive parenting behavior among grandparents providing childcare for grandchildren: A case study of Shenzhen, China.
AU - Chen, Mengtong
AU - Tang, Suqin
AU - Kelley, Susan J.
AU - Chen, Qiqi
AU - Lo, Camilla Kin Ming
AU - Chan, Ko Ling
AU - Ip, Patrick
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Ref. No. 72204207 ) and The National Social Science Fund of China (Ref. No. 19CSH069 ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
PY - 2023/5/1
Y1 - 2023/5/1
N2 - Background Grandparents play an essential role in childrearing and fill the parenting gap for dual-earner Chinese families. Many Chinese grandparents engage heavily in childcare, which may increase the risk of child abuse. Objective This study aimed to examine grandparental use of psychological and physical aggression toward children and explore its associated risk factors. Participants and setting This was a cross-sectional study which involved purposive sampling of 278 grandparents (204 females and 74 males) taking care of at least one grandchild below 18 years old in Shenzhen, China. Methods Information on childcare was collected, including grandparents' use of psychological and physical aggression and their involvement in childcare in terms of intensity and activity. Results An alarming percentage (57.1 %) of grandparents had used psychological aggression, while 26.5 % had used corporal punishment, in the past year. The average use of psychological aggression and corporal punishment was 16.10 times and 10.08 times per year, respectively. Grandparents taking care of two or more grandchildren were more likely to use psychological aggression and corporal punishment compared to those taking care of only one grandchild. Higher mental and physical health summary scores were associated with lower likelihood of psychological and physical aggression of grandparents. Conclusions This study advances our understanding of negative grandparenting behavior in childcare. As grandparents play a significant role in childcare, we need to improve their grandparenting skills, provide more formal childcare services to ease their childcare burden, and support their physical and mental well-being to reduce the risk of child abuse.
AB - Background Grandparents play an essential role in childrearing and fill the parenting gap for dual-earner Chinese families. Many Chinese grandparents engage heavily in childcare, which may increase the risk of child abuse. Objective This study aimed to examine grandparental use of psychological and physical aggression toward children and explore its associated risk factors. Participants and setting This was a cross-sectional study which involved purposive sampling of 278 grandparents (204 females and 74 males) taking care of at least one grandchild below 18 years old in Shenzhen, China. Methods Information on childcare was collected, including grandparents' use of psychological and physical aggression and their involvement in childcare in terms of intensity and activity. Results An alarming percentage (57.1 %) of grandparents had used psychological aggression, while 26.5 % had used corporal punishment, in the past year. The average use of psychological aggression and corporal punishment was 16.10 times and 10.08 times per year, respectively. Grandparents taking care of two or more grandchildren were more likely to use psychological aggression and corporal punishment compared to those taking care of only one grandchild. Higher mental and physical health summary scores were associated with lower likelihood of psychological and physical aggression of grandparents. Conclusions This study advances our understanding of negative grandparenting behavior in childcare. As grandparents play a significant role in childcare, we need to improve their grandparenting skills, provide more formal childcare services to ease their childcare burden, and support their physical and mental well-being to reduce the risk of child abuse.
KW - Grandparenting
KW - Psychological aggression
KW - Corporal punishment
KW - Chinese family
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85148544322&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106108
DO - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106108
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0145-2134
VL - 139
JO - Child Abuse and Neglect
JF - Child Abuse and Neglect
M1 - 106108
ER -