Relationships between grandchildren and grandparents in skipped generation families in Thailand

• Main Authors: Berit Ingersoll-Dayton, Kanchana Tangchonlatip, Sureeporn Punpuing, Laura Yakas
• Other Authors: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Format: Article
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: Medicine; Psychology; Social Sciences
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/46515
• Institution: Mahidol University

© 2018, © 2018 Taylor & Francis. Grandchildren are sometimes left in the care of their grandparents when parents migrate to find work. Using open-ended interviews with 48 grandparents, this study examines intergenerational relationships in “skipped generation households” in rural Thailand. The qualitative analyses identified several ways in which intergenerational relationships were characterized by solidarity (i.e., emotional closeness, instrumental helping, and financial assistance) as well as conflict (i.e., financial tension, grandchildren’s misbehavior, role confusion). These findings have important implications for practitioners and policymakers that could improve intergenerational relationships in skipped generation households.