Bonding with your grandparents could have many benefits for your mental health, including reduced risk of depression. “The greater the emotional support between adult grandchildren and grandparents, the more the psychological health of both generations benefits,” the site says. MedicalXpress Sara Moorman, co-author of the study, who plans to present the results of her work at the 108th annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.
Researchers at Boston College in the United States used data from the Longitudinal Generation Study, a survey of 3rd and 4th generation American families over a period from 1985 to 2004. This sample is made up of 376 grandparents and 340 grandchildren with an average age of 77 and 31 respectively.
The results of this research also reveal a certain uneasiness on the part of people who receive help, but are unable to provide any. “The grandparents who experienced a greater increase in depressive symptoms over time are those who received tangible support, but did not give it back,” says Sara Moorman. “Not being able to help your grandchildren, even when they’ve grown up, is frustrating and depressing for them, because they feel dependent.”
The good news is that otherwise, when both generations are able to give and receive help, symptoms of depression decrease. “Encouraging adult grandparents and grandchildren more to engage in this type of exchange can be a useful way of reducing depression in the elderly”, explains the researcher, before recalling that “we were raised in believing that the best way to show respect to the elderly members of our family is to take care of all their needs. But these people must feel useful, necessary and independent.”
