Intergenerational Teaching-learning through Meditation and Smartphone Use Skill-knowledge Transfer between South Asian Grandparent-grandchild Dyads

ABSTRACT

This article reports the impact of an intergenerational teaching-learning program (ITLP) of meditation and smartphone use on promoting social engagements for grandparents and attachment security for their young adult grandchildren. Grandparent-grandchildren dyads from two South Asian cities were randomized into intervention (IN₁ = 86; IN₂ = 78) and control groups (CN₁ = 86; CN₂ = 72). Grandparents’ scores on Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6) and grandchildren’s scores on Revised Adult Attachment Scale (RAAS) were assessed at pretest (TI) and posttest (T2). Intervention group grandparents had higher social engagements and grandchildren had lower attachment insecurities compared to the control dyad at T2. ITLP impact was moderately high (Cohen’s d range = 0.49–0.56, p≤.01) and T2 performance was better for grandmother-grandchild dyads, middle class, widowed grandparents and cohabiting dyads. ITLP attendance and home practice mediated the relationship between participant characteristics and outcomes. Actor-partner independence models indicated that attendance and home practice were interdependent and posttest increase in grandparents’ social network was positively associated with grandchildren’s attachment security at T2. The ITLP is a practical and useful program for intergenerational learning.

Keywords:

• Intergenerational teaching-learning
• grandparents
• young adult grandchildren
• meditation
• smartphone use
• social engagements
• attachments
• waitlist control design