How grandparents, parents, and children share time and resources
Generational Overlap: Changing Demography, Shared Lifetimes, and Family Resources
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · NIH-11397127
This project looks at how the timing and length of shared lifetimes across grandparents, parents, and children shape family support and child wellbeing in the U.S. and Denmark.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (MADISON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11397127 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you are a parent, grandparent, or have children, this research examines how long different generations live at the same time and how that affects family help and resources. The team combines long-running U.S. surveys and Danish population registers to measure how common multi-generation overlaps are and how they changed over the 20th century. They compare patterns across socioeconomic groups and between the two countries to see how policy and history shape family connections. Results come from harmonized data analysis rather than new clinical visits or interventions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are families that span three generations—grandparents, parents, and children—especially those who can share survey or registry information about family structure and timing of births and deaths.
Not a fit: People without multigenerational family connections (no living parents, grandparents, or children) are less likely to be directly affected by the study's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could inform policies and programs that strengthen family support networks and improve child and family wellbeing over the life course.
How similar studies have performed: Large population surveys and register-based studies have successfully linked family structure to child and adult outcomes, but the cross-country, historical comparison of generational overlap in this project is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
MADISON, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON — MADISON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CARLSON, MARCIA JEANNE — UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- Study coordinator: CARLSON, MARCIA JEANNE
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.