The pathway to grandparenting stress: trauma, relational conflict, and emotional well-being

Sprang, Ginny; Choi, Moon; Eslinger, Jessica; Whitt-Woosley, Adrienne

doi:10.1080/13607863.2014.938606

Cited by 39 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Bowers and Myers (1999), using Thomas’s scale, demonstrated a positive association between role satisfaction and lower levels of grandchild behavior problems in a sample of noncustodial grandparents. This is consistent with the findings of Sprang, Choi, Eslinger, and Whitt-Woosley (2014).…”

Section: Grandparents’ Role Satisfactionsupporting

confidence: 93%

First-Time Grandparents’ Role Satisfaction and Its Determinants

Condon

Luszcz

McKee

2019

Int J Aging Hum Dev

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This article focuses on satisfaction with the grandparent role at 1 and 2 years after the transition to grandparenthood. Three hundred and eighteen grandparents (male and female) were initially recruited and required to complete a well-validated self-report measure of grandparent satisfaction, together with self-report questionnaires assessing a range of characteristics which might predict role satisfaction. The main finding was that grandparent–grandchild attachment (bonding) was the most powerful predictor. Some predictors (e.g., generativity) appeared to have a direct effect on satisfaction, whereas the effect of others (e.g., grandchild temperament) appeared to be mediated via the grandparent–grandchild attachment relationship. Role satisfaction, aside from its probable relevance to grandparent wellbeing, is also likely to be of relevance to grandparents’ willingness to provide childcare. The latter, besides impacting on well-being of both grandparents and parents, also powerfully influences workforce economics.

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Section: Grandparents’ Role Satisfactionsupporting

confidence: 93%

First-Time Grandparents’ Role Satisfaction and Its Determinants

Condon

Luszcz

McKee

2019

Int J Aging Hum Dev

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“…35 In light of rising incarceration rates 4,5 and the current opioid crisis, 6 our findings are similar to previous research about the precipitating factors of the grandfamily household structure, as well as its financial and health correlates. 3,22 Given the established association between ACE exposure and ADHD, 33 it is unsurprising that we identified elevated rates of ADHD among both preschool and school-aged children raised in grandparent-headed households. However, after accounting for ACE exposure, although our effect estimate was attenuated, grandparent-headed households remained more likely to have children with ADHD.…”

Section: Caregiver Aggravationmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…These findings are also consistent with the current understanding of behavioral and social characteristics of children raised by grandparents. 3,8,25,39 The fact that significant differences in child temperament and parental aggravation disappeared when we excluded children with ADHD from analyses suggests that ADHD itself may be responsible for many between-group differences in child behaviors and social characteristics. Children in nonparental care are at higher risk for living under unstable caregiving arrangements, 35 which puts these children at greater risk for externalizing behavior problems.…”

Section: Caregiver Aggravationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 Although grandparents can provide support and stability in families, the increase in custodial grandparenting in the United States has primarily been driven by the inability of some parents to care for their children, 2 and up to 72% of children raised by grandparents have been exposed to at least one adverse, traumatic event. 3 In light of rising incarceration rates, 4,5 the current opioid crisis, 6 and the recent economic recession, 7 children who enter nonparental kinship care face a unique living environment and complex relationships that can impact their long-term development.…”

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confidence: 99%

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

et al. 2020

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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.

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“…But the emotional stresses and strains associated with care work, particularly if care is intense and must be balanced with other roles, can be overwhelming. Some grandparents struggle with anxiety, lack of sleep, strained family relations, sibling rivalry, and worries they are enabling their children to be substandard parents ( Cherlin & Furstenberg, 2009 ; Harrington Meyer, 2014 ; Sprang, Choi, Eslinger, & Whitt-Woosley, 2015 ; Wang & Marcotte, 2007 ).…”

Section: Impact Of Grandparentingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grandparenting in the United States

Meyer¹,

Kandic

2017

Innovation in Aging

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Grandparenting varies enormously in the United States and here we discuss that growing diversity. Relying on exchange and reciprocity, feminist, and political economic theoretical perspectives, we begin by exploring the increasing need for grandchild care and assistance in the United States and the dearth of federal and employer supports for working families. Assessing the impact of sociodemographic trends, notably the rise in single parenting and the increase in employment among grandparents, we assess the intensification of grandparenting. Then we turn to issues related to proximity, examining the pleasures and challenges of coresidential, custodial, long distance, and transnational grandparenting. Finally, we turn to the impact of grandparenting on the emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing of grandparents.

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The pathway to grandparenting stress: trauma, relational conflict, and emotional well-being

Abstract: Based on these findings, recommendations are made about how to tailor a trauma-informed approach to the needs of custodial grandparents.

Cited by 39 publications

References 67 publications

First-Time Grandparents’ Role Satisfaction and Its Determinants

First-Time Grandparents’ Role Satisfaction and Its Determinants

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

Grandparenting in the United States

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