Academic Journal
The paradox role of grandchild care in digital inclusion among Chinese elders: investigating intergenerational support as a mediator.
| Τίτλος: | The paradox role of grandchild care in digital inclusion among Chinese elders: investigating intergenerational support as a mediator. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Wang Q; School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China. Electronic address: nj253011@swu.edu.cn., Ren W; School of Journalism and New Media, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China. Electronic address: renweiskeer@163.com., Wen J; Zhejiang Economic & Information Centre, Hangzhou 310006, China. |
| Πηγή: | Journal of aging studies [J Aging Stud] 2026 Sep; Vol. 78, pp. 101445. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 21. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Pergamon Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 8916517 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1879-193X (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 08904065 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Aging Stud Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: <2003-> : Oxford : Pergamon Original Publication: Greenwich, Conn. : JAI Press, c1987- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Grandparents*/psychology , Internet Use*/statistics & numerical data , Internet Access*/statistics & numerical data , Intergenerational Relations* , Social Support* , Child Care* , Digital Divide*, Humans ; Female ; China ; Aged ; Male ; Longitudinal Studies ; Family Support ; Digital Media ; Aged, 80 and over ; East Asian People |
| Περίληψη: | Population aging and digital transformation have brought increasing attention to the digital divide among older adults, i.e., the gray digital divide. However, existing research has rarely examined this issue from the perspective of elders' roles within the family. Grounded in role theory, this study explores whether grandchild care facilitates or hinders digital inclusion among older adults, considering both access and usage gaps. Furthermore, it investigates the mediating role of intergenerational support in this relationship. Using panel data from the 2018 and 2020 waves of the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) and employing longitudinal methods, the study found that grandchild care participation was related to higher Internet access, more frequent and instrumental Internet use among elders. However, intensive grandchild care was a negative predictor of Internet use. The mediation analysis revealed that older adults involved in grandchild care tended to receive greater emotional and financial support from their adult children, which in turn helped bridge both the gaps in Internet access and usage. The heterogeneity analysis showed that among grandmothers, urban residents, and less-educated seniors, participation in grandchild care-regardless of caregiving intensity-did not help bridge the usage divide; instead, it was associated with significantly lower levels of Internet use. These findings highlight the dual effects of grandchild care on the gray digital divide and the need for tailored policy interventions. (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.) |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Chinese elders; Grandchild care; Intergenerational support; Internet access and use; The gray digital divide |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260907 Date Completed: 20260907 Latest Revision: 20260907 |
| Update Code: | 20260908 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jaging.2026.101445 |
| PMID: | 42705828 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1879-193X |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jaging.2026.101445 |