The Grandparent–Grandchild Relationship and Grandchildren's Developmental Outcomes

A Systematic Review With Meta‐Analysis

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12927140
AutoresTianyuan Li (0000-0002-6187-3580, School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Shenzhen China, autor correspondente), Chuting Wang (School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Shenzhen China), Yue Yang Sun (0009-0003-5090-3478, School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Shenzhen China), Wenquan Zhang (0000-0001-7196-8367, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen), Wanhua Zhang (School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Shenzhen China), Jinbo He (0000-0002-2785-9371, School of Science, Xi'an Jiaotong‐Liverpool University Suzhou China), Xin Zhang (0000-0003-0184-5868, School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University Beijing China), Shuang Feng (0009-0004-2412-278X, School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Shenzhen China), Xinyi Zou (0009-0002-6455-7919, School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Shenzhen China), Yatian Zhou (0009-0000-7782-5105, School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Shenzhen China), Rebecca Xiaohe Liu (School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Shenzhen China)
Ano2026
Data de publicação2026-02-25
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournal of Family Theory & Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1756-2570 • E-ISSN: 1756-2589
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/jftr.70045
OpenAlexW7134190458
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas106

The grandparent–grandchild relationship has been found to influence grandchildren's development in various domains. However, there is a lack of a systematic review with quantitative synthesis about how relationships with grandparents were related to grandchildren's development. We conducted a systematic review with meta‐analysis for existing studies on the association between grandparent–grandchild relationship strength and grandchildren's psychological, social, behavioral, physical, and cognitive outcomes. A total of 59 independent samples and 374 effect sizes with a cumulative sample size of 71,395 published between 2002 and 2022 were included. Using a three‐level meta‐analytic approach, results revealed a small but positive pooled correlation between relationship with grandparents and grandchildren's developmental outcomes, r = 0.13, p < 0.001, 95% CI = [0.11, 0.16]. We also identified various demographic and methodological moderators that explained the heterogeneity of existing findings. The results reveal grandparents' constructive and dynamic role in the family system

Association (psychology · Constructive · Correlation · Grandparent · Meta-analysis · Sample size determination · Child Welfare and Adoption · Family and Disability Support Research · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving