AMERICAN CHILDREN VIEW THEIR GRANDPARENTS - LINKED LIVES ACROSS 3 RURAL GENERATIONS

This study examines differences between rural farm and nonfarm families on the extent and quality of relations between adolescents and their grandparents, with emphasis on the mediational role of two linking relationships child-parent and parent-grandparent, In a longitudinal study of rural generations in Iowa, data concerning relations with grandparents (n = 1,181) were collected from grandchildren and their parents in 398 families. Grandchildren in farm families live closer to their grandparents and have more contact with them when compared with nonfarm rural adolescents, and this is particularly the case for paternal grandparents. Grandchildren in farm families also rate the quality of their relationship with paternal grandparents higher than those in nonfarm families. Relations between grandchildren and grandparents are contingent upon the quality of intergenerational relationships generally, but especially between parents and grandparents, among both farm and nonfarm families.