Objectives. This study explores how various aspects of a grandparent's reli
giousness are related to involvement with their grandchildren.
Methods. The study ascertains whether religious grandparents are significan
tly more involved with their grandchildren than less religious grandparents
by testing a series of bivariate and multivariate regression models. Multi
ple measures both of religiousness and of grandparent involvement are used.
The study also examines factors that potentially confound, link, or explai
n the connection between religious involvement and grandparenting (e.g., de
mographic factors, health, community involvement, traditional values, ties
to others). The sample of 585 grandparents comes from two related studies o
f rural families, the Iowa Youth and Families Project and the Iowa Single P
arent Project.
Results. Overall, the results indicate that religious grandparents are more
involved grandparents, and this involvement is explained in part by their
generally greater involvement in all types of family and social ties-religi
ous grandparents are more likely to be enmeshed in social ties to others.
Discussion. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of pr
ior research that finds little influence of religion. We also consider the
implications of our results for the future of grandparent involvement.