Grandchildren's perspectives on relationships with grandparents: The influence of gender across generations

Because of gender differentials in involvement in family life, it is hypothesized that gender of grandparents, parents, & grandchildren will be important to the grandchild-grandparent relationship. A questionnaire survey of 120 undergraduate students at the U of Texas at San Antonio yielded information about their grandparents (N = 375), including details of frequency of contact with & geographical distance from grandchildren. Grandmothers were found to have more contact & to engage in more positive activities with grandchildren than do grandfathers, & they tend to develop deeper relationships with their daughters' children than their sons'. Maternal grandparents see their grandchildren more frequently regardless of geographical distance. No differences were found between Anglo & Hispanic grandchildren, nor between grandsons & granddaughters, in closeness to grandparents. 4 Tables, 23 References. A. Waters