The Effect of Intergenerational Care on Chinese Elderly’ s Mental Health from the Perspective of Social Role: The Moderating Effect of Care Intensity

Objectives: This study examines the influence of caring for grandchildren on Chinese elderly’s life satisfaction to elucidate the informal cultural institutions. Background: Intergenerational care is an important mean for ensuring family security in China in the face of deficient childcare services. However, the impact of caregiving on grandparents’ quality of life is uncertain. This study bridged the role tension and role enhancement theories which were a pair of competitive hypothesesto explain the impact of intergenerational care. Methods: This study used the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey(http://class.ruc.edu.cn/) 2018 database obtained by probability sampling method and sorted out 5,773 eligible elderly samples. Multiple linear regressions and polynomial models were used to analyze the data. Endogeneity was solved through propensity score matching. Results: The grandparents caring for grandchildren scored significantly high for life satisfaction. The relationship between the duration of care and the life satisfaction of grandparents was inversely U-shaped. Caring for grandchildren and advanced age elderly, such as respondents’ parents, inhibited the benefits of intergenerational care. Conclusions: Caring for grandchildren moderately improves Chinese elderly’s quality of life. The intensity of care is an important factor determining the direction of the influence of intergenerational care on grandparents’ quality of life. Implications: For the sake of the mental health of the elderly and family unity, the older adults should be ensured to care for their grandchildren under conditions of low care intensity and high care willingness.