ArticleThe Gerontologist2026
Great-grandparenthood as a late-life family role: identity and continuity.
Article in The Gerontologist, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesThis article examines great-grandparenthood as a late-life family role that has remained overlooked in gerontological and sociological research. The study draws on life course theory, critical and narrative gerontology, and the concept of doing family to explore how great-grandparents perceive and negotiate this role in later life. RESEARCH DESIGN AND
methodsBased on qualitative, timeline-based interviews with ten participants, the analysis applies a thematic narrative approach to examine how meanings of intergenerational connection, family identity, and aging are constructed across the life course.
resultsFindings suggest that great-grandparenthood is rarely recognized as a distinct identity and tends to remain relationally and culturally invisible. The role does not emerge automatically from biological status but is enacted through episodic relational engagement, such as presence, emotional rituals, and shared time. It is also shaped by symbolic recognition within family narratives and generational positioning. Positioned at the margins of family life, great-grandparenthood emerges as a liminal late-life identity reflecting broader dynamics of aging, intergenerational relations, and cultural scripts. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings contribute to gerontological debates on family roles and relational aging by highlighting the symbolic and narrative dimensions of very late-life family positions. They also point to the need for future research incorporating intergenerational perspectives and comparative cultural contexts.
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