Family Well-being in Grandparent- Versus Parent-Headed Households

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the 2% of US children being raised by their grandparents. We sought to characterize and compare grandparent-and parent-headed households with respect to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), child temperament, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and caregiver aggravation and coping. METHODS: Using a combined data set of children ages 3 to 17 from the 2016, 2017, and 2018 National Survey of Children's Health, we applied survey regression procedures, adjusted for sociodemographic confounders, to compare grandparent-and parent-headed households on composite and single-item outcome measures of ACEs; ADHD; preschool inattention and restlessness; child temperament; and caregiver aggravation, coping, support, and interactions with children. RESULTS: Among 80 646 households (2407 grandparent-headed, 78 239 parent-headed), children in grandparent-headed households experienced more ACEs (b = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07 to 1.38). Preschool-aged and school-aged children in grandparent-headed households were more likely to have ADHD (adjusted odds ratio = 4.29, 95% CI: 2.22 to 8.28; adjusted odds ratio = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.34 to 2.20). School-aged children in these households had poorer temperament (b adj = .25, 95% CI: 20.63 to 1.14), and their caregivers experienced greater aggravation (b adj = .29, 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.49). However, these differences were not detected after excluding children with ADHD from the sample. No differences were noted between grandparent-and parent-headed households for caregiver coping, emotional support, or interactions with children. CONCLUSIONS: Despite caring for children with greater developmental problems and poorer temperaments, grandparent caregivers seem to cope with parenting about as well as parents. WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Nearly 3 million children today are raised by their grandparents, often because of social adversity. Research to date has primarily demonstrated negative social and health outcomes for caregivers and children in grandparentheaded households. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: In a large, nationally representative US sample, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and childhood adversity appear to be responsible for some of the behavioral and developmental disparities observed between grandparent-and parent-headed households. No differences in caregiver coping and emotional support were found.

COVID-19–Associated Orphanhood and Caregiver Death in the United States

“…The death of custodial grandparents may compound the family adversities that led to the child being cared for by grandparents, rather than parents. Children living in grandparent-headed, versus parent-headed homes, are more likely to have experienced other ACEs, such as incarceration of a parent, separation or divorce, parental alcohol/drug abuse or mental health problems, or domestic violence 45 . Thus, the death of a grandparent often adds another level of adversity that further increases the likelihood of long-term health and social consequences of ACEs 36 .…”

Mental/behavioural health and educational outcomes of grandchildren raised by custodial grandparents: A mixed methods systematic review

“…internalising and externalising problems) between grandparent-headed households and parentheaded households. Rapoport et al (2020) in the United States also suggested that there were no significant differences in children's inattention/restlessness by household type. Likewise, there were no statistically significant differences in terms of bully victimisation, substance use frequency, total delinquency score, conduct disorder or socialised aggression (Edwards, 2016;Robbins et al, 2006).…”

Mental Health of Parents and Primary Caregivers by Sex and Associated Child Health Indicators

“…Along with fathers spending more time with their children, changes to family structure highlight the importance of considering the influence of all caregivers on child health and wellbeing. From 1960 to 2014, while the prevalence of children living in a home with two parents in their first marriage decreased (Pew Research Center, 2015), there was an increase of single female caregiver homes, blended families including stepparents and other relatives as primary caregivers, including grandparents (National Academies of Sciences, 2016;Pew Research Center, 2015;Rapoport et al, 2020). Furthermore, the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy analyzed pooled data from the 2008 and 2010 "General Social Survey," reporting that of adults who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, 38% have had at least one child (Gates, 2012).…”