@article{Skopek_37_29,
author = {Skopek, Jan and Leopold, Thomas},
title={{Who becomes a grandparent – and when? Educational differences in the chances and timing of grandparenthood}},
journal = {Demographic Research},
volume = {37},
number = {29},
pages = {917--928},
doi = {10.4054/DemRes.2017.37.29},
year = {2017},
abstract = {Background: Despite recent advances, the demographic understanding of grandparenthood remains limited. 

Objective: Our study examines educational differences in the transition to grandparenthood. Comparing East and West Germany, we analyze educational differences in a) the chance of becoming a grandparent, and b) the timing of grandparenthood for both men and women. 

Methods: We used fertility data across three family generations (German Ageing Survey, N = 2,434 men and women born 1933‒1948) and methods of survival time analysis to study educational gradients in the transition to grandparenthood. 

Results: We found a strong educational gradient in the chances of grandparenthood among West German women: Lower-educated women’s chances of becoming a grandmother were similar to higher-educated women’s chances of becoming a mother. 

Conclusions: Our findings have implications for research on multi-generational social mobility and on the consequences of grandparenthood. 

Contribution: Our study is the first to analyze how the transition to grandparenthood is socially stratified. },
URL = {https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol37/29/},
eprint = {https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol37/29/37-29.pdf}
}