Virtual Grandparenting: Identifying Barriers to Supportive Video Chat between Grandparents and Grandchildren

Xu, Chi; Barr, R.; Myers, Lauren J.; McClure, E.; Zosh, J. M.; Strouse, G. A.; Troseth, G.; Stuckelman, Z. D.

Virtual Grandparenting: Identifying Barriers to Supportive Video Chat between Grandparents and Grandchildren

Abstract

Many grandparents today are physically separated from their families. Given that maintaining close family relationships (with both adult children and grandchildren) is associated with increased physical, mental, and emotional health across generations, it is important to determine how families can maintain close relationships with grandparents when physically separated. Technology offers one potential support: the proliferation of video chat. Recent work suggests that the frequency of video chat and the variety of behaviors engaged in during video calls predicts family closeness and enjoyment of using this communication method, regardless of the physical distance between parties. However, the frequency of grandparent-grandchild video chat varies across families. Here, we explore how demographic, physical (e.g., distance), technological (e.g., number of devices and barriers), and social factors (e.g., children are distracted) predicted: (1) whether or not video chat was used by grandparent-grandchild dyads, and (2) the frequency of video chat in the families using the technology. This work suggests that geographical distance, having met in person, and the number of devices owned were positive predictors of grandparents and grandchildren having ever video chatted. However, the factors associated with the frequency of video chat were different in the parent and grandparent models and included grandparents’ comfort with technology and the type of device used by the
parent and child. These findings not only have implications for supporting grandparent-grandchild relationships but also for all family members separated by distance, immigration, incarceration, health emergencies, and displacement.

Title	Virtual Grandparenting: Identifying Barriers to Supportive Video Chat between Grandparents and Grandchildren
Creator	Xu, Chi
	Barr, R.
	Myers, Lauren J.
	McClure, E.
	Zosh, J. M.
	Strouse, G. A.
	Troseth, G.
	Stuckelman, Z. D.
Publisher	Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies
Academic Department	Psychology
Academic Department	Mathematics
Division	Natural Sciences
Organization	Lafayette College
Date Issued	2022
Date Available	2022-11-15
Type	Article
Language	English
Bibliographic Citation	Zosh, J. M., et al. 2022. "Virtual Grandparenting: Identifying Barriers to Supportive Video Chat between Grandparents and Grandchildren.” Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies 2022: 9454654.
Standard Identifier	DOI 10.1155/2022/9454654
Standard Identifier	Handle 10385/4x51hk517
Permalink	http://hdl.handle.net/10385/4x51hk517
Rights Statement	Creative Commons - Attribution
Rights Holders	Troseth, G.
	Zosh, J. M.
	Stuckelman, Z. D.
	Barr, R.
	McClure, E.
	Xu, Chi
	Strouse, G. A.
	Myers, Lauren J.