Adult grandchildren's perceptions of intergenerational relationships with their grandparents

Abstract

The study analysed the perceptions of adult grandchildren (university students) of their interactions with their grandparents. A semi-structured interview was administered to the sample, containing questions referring to shared activities before and after they entered university, mutual teaching and learning in the past and present, and the role played by grandparents in family conflicts. The results show that: the start of university studies reduced the number of activities involving grandchildren and grandparents; there is a perception that the mutual teaching and learning has been more fruitjiul with maternal than with paternal grandparents; and that the main role of grandparents in family conflicts is non-interference. These results are discussed in relation to the literature on grandparenthood.