TY  - JOUR
A1  - Skopek, Jan
A1  - Leopold, Thomas
T1  - Who becomes a grandparent – and when? Educational differences in the chances and timing of grandparenthood
Y1  - 2017/10/06
JF  - Demographic Research
JO  - Demographic Research
SN  - 1435-9871
SP  - 917
EP  - 928
DO  - 10.4054/DemRes.2017.37.29
VL  - 37
IS  - 29
UR  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol37/29/
L1  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol37/29/37-29.pdf
L2  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol37/29/37-29.pdf
L3  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol37/29/files/readme.37-29.txt
L3  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol37/29/files/demographic-research.37-29.zip
N2  - 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. 

ER  -