Coparenting Conflict and Cooperation between Parents and Grandparents in Vietnamese Families: The Role of Grandparent Psychological Control and Parent–Grandparent Communication

Abstract

Shared care between parents and grandparents is common in Asian cultures. This cocare practice provides many benefits to families but is also particularly complex, as both parents and grandparents must simultaneously fulfill their roles as cocaregivers as well as maintain their relationship with each other. This study aims to explore the determinants of coparenting relationships between parents and grandparents in Vietnam. Data were collected from 501 Vietnamese parents whose aging parents are active carers for their children. The results indicated that grandparent psychological control and parent–grandparent quality of communication explain the largest variance in both parent–grandparent coparenting conflict and cooperation. The results suggest that parenting interventions aimed at the Asian cultures, where grandparent care is common, may benefit from the inclusion of a content focus on promoting the coparenting relationship between parents and grandparents.

Grandmothers are part of the parenting network, too! A longitudinal study on coparenting, maternal sensitivity, child attachment and behavior problems in a Chinese sample

“…Although both maternal and paternal grandmothers played with their grandchild in a cooperative way in the presence of the mothers suggesting family harmony, mothers may feel a somewhat greater degree of intimacy with their own mothers, especially during the early stage of coparenting relationship. These results are in line with previous research in Vietnamese and Turkish families (Hoang et al., 2020 ; Salman‐Engin et al., 2018 ). A Chinese saying states that “everything will flourish if the family is in harmony” and this might influence mostly grandmothers who were born in the 1950s or 1960s.…”

“…Controlling overinvolvement from the grandparents might be another important issue contributing to the discordant, conflicted, and competitive coparental relationships. Especially levels of psychological control among the older generations were found to be rather high (Hoang et al., 2020 ). Thus, it is possible that from the perspective of the mothers the meaning of supportive coparenting by grandmothers is ambiguous and that some mothers may interpret grandmother's supportive coparenting behavior as interference instead of helpful.…”

Parent Work‐to‐Family Conflict and Child Psychological Well‐Being: Moderating Role of Grandparent Coresidence

“…First, parent‐grandparent coparenting friction is a common source of family conflict in three‐generation households (Hoang, Haslam, & Sanders, 2019). Parent‐grandparent coparenting has a double‐bind expectation structure in which grandparents are expected to “be there” but not to interfere, which can lead to friction (Thomas, 1990).…”

A research framework for the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030)

“…While structures set the boundaries around family membership, family members live in relationship (Carr and Utz 2020 ; Landes and Settersten 2019 ). Family lives are linked through their interdependence over time through the transfer of material resources (Gilligan et al 2018 ), though production in family enterprises (Rondi et al 2019 ) and through care for grandchildren and for older family members (Hoang et al 2019 ).…”