Showing papers on "Grandparent published in 2003"

Family Contingencies Across the Generations: Grandparent‐Grandchild Relationships in Holistic Perspective

Abstract: Family relationships do not occur in isolation but rather are embedded within greater systems of family ties. In recognition of the need to study families holistically, we explore how relations between grandparents and grandchildren are contingent upon a matrix of intergenerational relationships. Using data from the Iowa Youth and Families Project, our analyses focus on person-centered types of grandparent-grandchild relationships and the legacy of social ties across the generations, as mediated by other family relationships. We find multiple dimensions of grandparents' involvement with their grandchildren to be associated with (a) whether the grandparents knew their own grandparents when they were young, (b) the grandparent's perceptions of contact and closeness with the target grandchild, and (c) nuances in the relationships of grandparents with the parent generation.

Civic Education and Political Participation.

Abstract: Today's young people are significantly less involved in and knowledgeable about civic life than were previous generations. Mr. Galston warns that this disengagement has severe ramifications for our society. But he is optimistic that the trend can be reversed by effective school-based civic education. ANXIETY ABOUT the civic attitudes and activities of young adults in America is nothing new, and its persistence is easy to understand. As far back as evidence can be found -- and virtually without exception -- young adults seem to have been less attached to civic life than their parents and grandparents. Nor is it difficult to find plausible explanations for this gap. Civic attachment is linked to such factors as professional interests (and self-interests), a stable residential location, home ownership, marriage, and parenthood, all of which are statistically less characteristic of younger adults.1 Not surprisingly, in every generation the simple passage of time has brought maturing young adults more fully into the circle of civic life. So are today's worries any more justified than in times past? Has anything changed? The answer, I believe, is yes. The reason is to be found in the demographic distinction between cohort effects and generational effects. "Cohorts" represent a snapshot of different age groups at the same historical moment, while "generations" represent the same age groups at different historical moments. If we compare generations rather than cohorts -- that is, if we compare today's young adults not with today's older adults but with young adults of the past -- we find evidence of diminished civic attachment. Some of the basic facts are well known. In the early 1970s, about one- half of 18- to 29-year-olds voted in Presidential elections. By 2000, fewer than one-third did. The same pattern holds for congressional elections -- a bit more than one-fourth in the mid-1970s, compared to less than one-fifth in 2002. Less well known are the trends charted by a remarkable UCLA study, conducted since the mid-1960s and involving 250,000 matriculating college freshmen each year. Over this period, every significant indicator of political engagement has fallen by about half. Only 33% of freshmen think that keeping up with politics is important, down from 60% in 1966 (though up a bit from the all-time low of 28% recorded in 2000). Only 16% say they frequently discuss politics, down from 33% in 1966. Not surprisingly, acquisition of political knowledge from traditional media sources is way down, and as yet not enough young people are using the Internet to fill the role newspapers and network TV news once played as sources of civic information. But the news is not all bad by any means. Today's young people are patriotic, tolerant, and compassionate. They believe in America's principles and in the American Dream. They adeptly navigate our nation's increasing diversity. And, as has been widely reported and discussed, they are more than willing to give of themselves to others. College freshmen are reporting significantly increased levels of volunteering in their last year of high school, a trend that seems to be carrying over to their early college years. But only one-third of today's young volunteers believe that they will continue this practice once they enter the paid work force. And there is no evidence that such volunteerism will lead to wider civic engagement. On the contrary, young people typically characterize their volunteering as an alternative to official politics, which they see as self-absorbed and unrelated to their deeper ideals. They have limited knowledge of government's impact, either on themselves or on those they seek to assist. They understand why it matters to feed a hungry person at a soup kitchen; they do not understand why it matters where government sets eligibility levels for food stamps or payment levels for the Earned Income Tax Credit. …

Adolescent mothers' relationship with their children's biological fathers: social support, social strain, and relationship continuity.

Abstract: Two-hundred and eighteen low-income, minority, adolescent mothers were interviewed during the perinatal period and 3 years later about their social networks, including their relationships with their children's fathers. Few adolescents were involved with fathers at both time points. Relationships with fathers were, in general, less supportive and less problematic over time. Moreover, although father support was not associated with adolescent mothers' psychological adjustment, father absence and father strain had negative associations with psychological adjustment. Maternal grandmother support buffered the negative effects of strain in the adolescents' relationships with biological fathers. Perceptions of less social support from maternal grandmothers and more social support from fathers during the perinatal period as well as less social support from a new male partner at 3 years postpartum predicted relationship continuity between adolescent mothers and fathers at 3 years postpartum. Implications for intervention and policy are discussed.

Review of research on the health of caregiving grandparents

Abstract: Aim. To provide a critical review of research literature on the health of grandparents raising grandchildren, and identify directions for future research. Methods. Approaches used to access the research studies for this review included a comprehensive search using relevant electronic databases and a thorough examination of the references in each published study. Findings. All studies but one were published after 1990. Samples consisted primarily of African-American and Caucasian grandmothers in the United States of America. Earlier studies tended to describe health and other related concepts while more recent studies began to examine relationships between concepts. Most of the studies had a cross-sectional design and only one evaluated interventions. Inconsistencies in the results of these studies were prevalent. Conclusions. Evaluation studies, longitudinal designs, and more varied study samples including cross-cultural comparisons are needed to advance knowledge about grandparent caregivers’ health.

Grandparents Living with Grandchildren: 2000. Census 2000 Brief.

Abstract: ed 158.9 million people aged 30 and over living in households in the United States, of whom 5.8 million (or 3.6 percent) were coresident grandparents, defined in this report as living with grandchildren younger than 18. Among these coresident grandparents, 2.4 million (42 percent) were also “grandparent caregivers,” defined in this report as people who had primary responsibility for their coresident grandchildren younger than 18. Among grandparent caregivers, 39 percent had cared for their grandchildren for 5 or more years.

Variations in Child Care by Grandparents during the First Three Years.

Abstract: Routine child care by grandparents was examined for 1,229 children who were participants in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care. Four groups were identified: extended full-time care, extended part-time care, sporadic care, and no routine care during the first three years. The odds of sporadic child care by grandparents were higher when mothers were relatively young and worked nonstandard hours. The odds of extended full-time grandparent care versus extended part-time grandparent care were higher for mothers of color and mothers with more extensive full-time employment. All types of grandparent care were more likely when a grandparent lived in the household. These findings suggest that grandparent care is heterogeneous and may occur in response to different family circumstances. Key Words: child care, child-care selection, grandparents, maternal employment. In the United States, 63% of children under the age of 5 years receive nonmaternal child care on a routine basis (Smith, 2002). Researchers have typically focused on two types of child care: in centers and in child-care homes (cf. Lamb, 1998). Informal care settings have received much less attention, even though substantial numbers of children are cared for in these settings (Smith, 2002). In his comprehensive review of child-care research, Lamb (1998) called for an expanded research agenda that investigates informal arrangements. This research is needed because the development of policies to support working families necessitates understanding which families use informal care and for what reasons (Kuhlthau & Mason, 1996; Presser, 1999). Additional research also is needed to identify meaningful variations in informal care arrangements because it is unlikely that these settings are homogeneous. The goal of the current study is to examine variations in one type of informal child care-care provided by grandparents, or "grandparent care." Interestingly, several widely used child-care surveys such as the National Child Care Survey, the National Household Education Survey, and the National Survey of American Families, provide only indirect evidence about grandparent care. In these surveys, grandparents are subsumed under the broader category of relative care. Other surveys, however, have specifically considered care that is provided by grandparents. In a substudy of the National Child Care Survey that focused on low-income families, Brayfield, Deich, and Hofferth (1993) reported that grandparents provided routine child care for 29% of children who were under the age of 5 years. A recent report from the 1997 Survey of Income and Program Participation (Smith, 2002) indicated that grandparents were the single most common form of nonmaternal care for children under the age of 5 years, with 21% of the children reported to be cared for by grandparents during the previous month. An important issue is the identification of the factors that are associated with grandparents providing routine child care. An elucidation of these factors can help to understand the conditions under which grandparent care is used. Is it more likely when families have limited financial resources or when other types of arrangements are not available? Is grandparent care used because it is convenient or because it is consistent with cultural values, or both? The available research suggests that the routine grandparent care is related to a number of maternal and family factors. There are indications that grandparent care is more likely when families have lower incomes (Crispell, 1994; Kuhlthau & Mason, 1996; Smith, 2002); and when mothers work nonstandard hours (Presser, 1989), are younger (Baydar & Brooks-Gunn, 1998; Jayakody, Chatters, & Taylor, 1993; Presser), are less educated (Folk, 1994), and are single parents (Brayfield et al., 1993; Folk; Presser; Smith). Grandparent care also is more common when grandparents reside in the household (Baydar & Brooks-Gunn). …

Adult Children and Their Fathers: Relationship Changes 20 Years After Parental Divorce*

Abstract: Adult children's reports of relationship changes with their fathers were examined 20 years after their parents' divorce. Data were drawn from interviews with 173 adult children from the Binuclear Family Study about their perceptions of their parents' divorce and its long-term impact. Findings indicated that most adult children felt that their relationships with their fathers had either improved or remained stable over time. Custody did not directly affect reported changes in the quality of their relationship with their fathers; however, increased interparental conflict, early father remarriage, and low father involvement in the early postdivorce years were associated with worsening relationships over time. Those who reported that their relationships with their fathers got worse also reported poorer quality relationships with their stepmothers, stepsiblings, and paternal grandparents. Key Words: adult children, divorce, father, parenting, remarriage. The relationship between children and their divorced fathers is of great concern to researchers, policy makers, and practitioners, as well as to children and their fathers. Although there has been an increase in shared parenting postdivorce and paternal custody, it is still the prevailing situation that most postdivorce fathers consistently spend less time with their children compared with postdivorce mothers. Studies dealing with the long-term consequences of divorce generally find that parents' divorce during childhood weakens the emotional bonds between offspring and parents in later life (Amato & Booth, 1997; Hetherington & Kelly, 2002). This is particularly true for adult children's relations with their nonresident fathers (Amato & Booth; Bengtson, Biblarz, & Roberts, 2002; Silverstein & Bengtson, 1997). Also, studies show that divorce is associated with feeling less close to fathers, especially among college-age daughters (Aquilino, 1994; Zill, Morrison, & Coiro, 1993). Some disagreement exists in the research literature about how children's postdivorce adjustment is affected by relationships with their fathers (see Amato & Gilbreth, 1999, for a meta-analysis of studies on this topic). However, the general view is that children benefit from continued relationships with their fathers, except when fathers are incompetent or abusive. Although the importance of maintaining father-child relationships postdivorce has received considerable attention (Leite & McKenry, 2002; Braver & Griffin, 2000; Pasley & Minton, 1997; Ahrons & Miller, 1993), little is known about how adult children feel about their relationships with their fathers many years after parental divorce. Most of the cross-sectional studies that assess children's relationships with their divorced fathers use college-age or adolescent children, do not control for time since divorce, and do not take into consideration adult children's marital or parental status (Arditti & Prouty, 1999; Fabricius & Hall, 2000). Findings like these cannot be used to draw conclusions about differences between adult children of divorced and nondivorced parents because this period of the family life cycle, the launching phase, is a stage of shifting parent-adult children relations. Due to maturational effects, adult children, who may be married and parents themselves, are noted to report improved relationships with their parents, irrespective of family structure (Silverstein & Bengtson, 1997). Here, by examining the perceptions of the adult children 20 years after their parents' divorce, we examine several of many factors that impact father-adult child relationship quality 20 years after their parents' divorce. Fathers and Children Postdivorce Whether and how fathers maintain relationships with their children is dependent on an interaction of complex factors. Because of this complexity, the literature is confusing and often conflicting regarding factors and mechanisms that affect the relationship between father involvement and child adjustment, especially following parental divorce. …

Children of AIDS: Africa's orphan crisis

Abstract: The AIDS epidemic has been catastrophic south of the Sahara. "Children of AIDS" explores how families, charities and government are responding to the next wave of the crisis - millions of orphans. This collection of true stories reveals the experiences of orphans, street children, grandparents, aunts, foster parents, charity and social workers, and foreign donors across South Africa, Zambia and Uganda.

An attachment perspective on grandparents raising their very young grandchildren: Implications for intervention and research

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to apply an attachment perspective to the growing number of families with grandparents raising grandchildren to increase our understanding of the complexity of intergenerational relationship processes in these families and to guide early intervention and research. It is proposed that, as grandparents take responsibility for their grandchildren, three relationship processes simultaneously occur: (1) disruptions in attachments potentially occur, especially in relationships involving parents, (2) attachment relationships between grandchildren and grandparents develop or are revised, and (3) family members' internal working models of attachment and caregiving are challenged and shaped. To address these processes, attachment theory and research focusing on the formation, disruption, and intergenerational transmission of attachment relationships are reviewed. Conclusions suggest that when grandparents assume responsibility for grandchildren, families may need and be particularly open to a range of interventions. In addition, research focusing on attachment relationships in families of grandparents raising grandchildren is needed. ©2003 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Fostering Social Ties Through A Volunteer Role: Implications For Older-Adults' Psychological Health:

Abstract: This study examined the effects on older adults' psychological health of participation in a volunteer role that afforded opportunities to form friendships with age peers and to express nurturance toward another person. Access to these important social provisions was expected, in turn, to contribute to greater self-esteem, less loneliness, and less depression. The study hypotheses were tested by comparing older adults who served as foster grandparents to a developmentally disabled child (N = 52) with older adults in two comparison groups (Ns = 69, 59). Three assessments were conducted over a two-year period. The analyses revealed that the foster grandparents exhibited a significant increase in the number of new ties formed, but participation in the Foster Grandparent Program was not associated with the expected gains in emotional health. Explanations for the limited findings and implications for future research are discussed.

Social, cultural and environmental influences on child activity and eating in Australian migrant communities.

Abstract: Aim : This study set out to examine the socio-cultural, familial and environmental factors influencing health, eating habits and patterns of physical activity contributing to child and adolescent overweight and obesity. Methods : Semi-structured, community-based interviews were conducted with contrasting key informant three-generation families; and generation by generation focus groups of grandparents, parents and children from four cultural communities in the state of Victoria, Australia. Purposive sampling occurred from Turkish, Greek, Indian and Chinese communities that have migrated to Australia within the last three generations (n = 160, eight families, 47 children aged 5–15 years, 29 parents, 42 grandparents). Results : Evidence of two-way influences on eating and physical activity across three generations was evident, with children reporting the greatest cross-cultural diversity. A range of dietary restrictions was reported across all cultural groups. Efforts to foster healthy eating and lifestyle patterns within communities were evident. Parents, as a generation in particular, felt the need for more access to education and support regarding healthy limits for pre-puberty and puberty stages. Conclusion : There is a dynamic influence of culture on many aspects of family lifestyle across three generations. To achieve successful intervention design, childhood obesity researchers need to collaborate with diverse groups and communities. Considering the role and influence of extended family, a multigenerational, whole-of-community approach beyond that of parent and child populations ought to be considered.

Grandparents of Children With Developmental Disabilities: Intergenerational Support and Family Well-Being

Abstract: Mothers and fathers separately assessed grandparent support in family situations involving grandchildren with developmental disabilities. There was high consistency in mother and father independent views of grandparent support with the maternal grandmother identified by both as the most available and supportive. Grandparent emotional support appeared to be more salient to parent psychological adjustment and parenting stress than was grandparent instrumental support (practical help). Mothers and fathers appeared to be most sensitive to the support offered by their own mother. Overall family functioning was not directly related to level of grandparent emotional or instrument support. Findings encourage multigenerational interventions with parents and grandparents in family practice involving situations of childhood disability.

Family processes within three-generation households and adolescent mothers' satisfaction with father involvement.

Abstract: This investigation used a family systems perspective to examine how family dynamics within 3-generation households were associated with mothers' satisfaction with father involvement. The participants were low-income African American adolescent mothers (n = 148) and grandmothers recruited at delivery and followed over 6 months. The overall model explained 68% of the variance in satisfaction with father involvement. Fathers who were involved with caregiving activities had positive relationships with adolescent mothers and grandmothers. Grandmothers served as gatekeepers; when grandmothers reported positive relationships with the 2 young parents, adolescent mothers reported positive relationships with their male partners. Mothers who reported positive partner relationships also reported high parenting efficacy and satisfaction with father involvement. Efforts to increase paternal involvement should focus on role clarification for grandmothers and fathers and on parenting activities for mothers and fathers, regardless of their romantic relationship.

How Families Still Matter: A Longitudinal Study of Youth in Two Generations

Abstract: How Families Still Matter: A Longitudinal Study of Youth in Two Generations. Vern L. Bengtson, Timothy J. Biblarz, & Robert E. L. Roberts. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 2002. 215 pp. ISBN 0-521-80423-X. $55.00 (cloth). Have the Baby Boomers failed as parents? Critics of Generation X, alternately known as a "generation at risk," "slackers," and "latchkey" children, would answer this question with a resounding "yes." In How Families Still Matter, however, Vern L. Bengtson, Timothy J. Biblarz, and Robert E. L. Roberts complicate this perception by convincingly demonstrating that in many critical areas Gen Xers have surpassed their Baby Boomer parents and that families remain tremendously important in the 21st century. The foundation of the authors' research is the University of Southern California-based Longitudinal Study of Generations (LSOG). Conceived in 1971, the LSOG first interviewed three generations of family members: Baby Boomers (G3), their parents (G2), and their grandparents (G1). Six waves of survey assessment later, the study now incorporates the Baby Boomer's teenaged children (G4), providing Bengtson, Biblarz, and Roberts with the unique opportunity to compare Gen Xers' responses with those of their parents and to assess the relative quality of parent-child relationships between G2-G3 and G3-G4. The authors position themselves squarely in the debate between advocates of the family decline hypothesis who mourn the alleged social and moral decline precipitated by the waning importance of the American family, and adherents of the family solidarity thesis, who believe that the American family has proven to be a resilient institution that, even in an increasingly nonnuclear form, remains meaningful in the lives of today's children. Although Bengtson, Biblarz, and Roberts clearly sympathize with the latter position, they do not shy away from addressing the rapid social changes of the past 30 years, namely the rising rates of divorce and full-time maternal employment. The consideration of these two factors in their research, in turn, leads to some interesting and rather surprising conclusions. The authors find, for instance, that the educational and occupational aspirations of Gen Xers, particularly for young women, far surpassed those of their parents. Furthermore, their evidence suggests that G4 children in 1997 had higher self-esteem and were less individualistic than their similarly aged parents in 1971. These children, in other words, are not depressed slackers. Their relationships with their Baby Boomer parents prove to be strong as well, although it is easy to imagine that the lessening importance of paternal solidarity will be troubling to those social critics who fear an overburdening maternal presence. …

The Legacy of a Grandparent's Divorce: Consequences for Ties Between Grandparents and Grandchildren

Abstract: This study assesses the implications of divorce in the grandparent generation for grandparent-- grandchild relationships. The sample of 538 grandparents comes from the Iowa Youth and Families Project. Results indicate that many aspects of grandparenting are negatively associated with ever experiencing a divorce. Some of the negative effects of divorce are explained by ever-divorced grandparents' greater geographic distance from, and weaker bonds to, their adult children. Negative effects of divorce are stronger for grandfathers and paternal grandparents. Furthermore, a good grandparent-parent relationship can compensate for the negative effects of a grandparent's divorce on relations with grandchildren. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of the increasing percentage of individuals moving into the later years who have experienced a divorce. Key Words: divorce, grandchildren, grandparents, intergenerational relations, life course. A grandparent's divorce is likely to have repercussions throughout the family system, affecting children, grandchildren, and other relatives, and prompting changes in family roles. Understanding the significance of divorce for grandparent-grandchild relations is imperative given the vital role grandparents play in the lives of children. Grandparents serve as storytellers, confidants, and mentors, provide child care and family support in times of crisis, and in more extreme cases, become primary caregivers for grandchildren (King, Elder, & Conger, 2000; Tomlin, 1998). In addition to the positive benefits children receive, grandparents themselves benefit from engagement in their role, deriving meaning, enjoyment, and companionship from relationships with grandchildren (Tomlin). This study addresses three questions: (a) Does the experience of divorce negatively influence the saliency of the grandparent role or involvements with grandchildren? (b) If so, what factors explain the negative influence of divorce on grandparenting? (c) What circumstances moderate the influence of divorce on the grandparent-grandchild relationship? The number of grandparents who have experienced a divorce is substantial and increasing rapidly (Uhlenberg & Kirby, 1998). This situation reflects both the increasing divorce rates in all age groups and the movement of newer cohorts, who experienced much higher levels of divorce, into the ranks of older adults. About one third of all ever-married individuals in the cohort that reached age 65 in 2000 will experience a divorce at some point in their lifetimes; this is projected to increase to 50% for the cohorts reaching age 65 after 2010 (Norton & Moorman, 1987; U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000). Little prior research has directly examined the link between grandparental divorce and grandparenting behaviors or attitudes. A few grandparent studies have controlled for the current marital status of a grandparent when examining behaviors such as grandparent-grandchild contact and relationship quality, and report few or no significant effects (Cherlin & Furstenberg, 1986; King & Elder, 1995). However, Silverstein and Marenco (2001) considered a broader array of grandparenting measures and found that unmarried grandparents reported weaker involvement with grandchildren in several domains, including less frequent baby-sitting, activities, family gatherings, feeling less close, and attributing less meaning to the grandparent role. Unfortunately, by comparing married and unmarried grandparents, these studies do not differentiate among the unmarried group-- some are divorced, but many others are widowed. Widowhood is not likely to influence ties to children and grandchildren in the negative way that divorce can (Aquilino, 1994; Pezzin & Schone, 1999). In addition, the married group includes those who have divorced and remarried-a group that is likely to differ significantly from grandparents still in first marriages (Uhlenberg & Hammill, 1998; White, 1992). …

Accommodation Predictors of Grandparent–Grandchild Relational Solidarity in Taiwan

Abstract: Grounded in communication accommodation theory, this research examined Taiwanese grandchildren’s (N= 100) and grandparents’ (N= 108) perceptions of communication behavior in grandparent–grandchild (GP–GC) interactions. This study investigated noncommunicative and communicative predictors of communication satisfaction, liking, and emotional closeness in the relationship. Regression analyses showed that communication accommodation behaviors accounted for significant variance in GP–GC relational solidarity. For grandchildren and grandparents, the best single predictor was their perception of their own accommodative involvement with their grandparents/grandchildren. The findings also indicated that contact frequency significantly predicted GP–GC relational solidarity. Demographic variables were not particularly effective predictors. The findings are discussed in terms of cultural differences in GP–GC relationships and communication accommodation theory.

Designing Interventions for Grandparent Caregivers: The Need for an Ecological Perspective for Practice:

Abstract: Grandparent caregivers confront multiple issues and challenges in their efforts to raise their grandchildren The nature of these concerns suggests the relevancy of the ecological perspective as a framework for social work practice and for the design of interventions This paper identifies the areas of stress faced by these grandparents and the ways in which the use of this perspective is particularly relevant to addressing their specific needs A case study of services provided to one grandparent is presented In working with these caregivers, social workers must be ready to assume a plethora of roles and interventions ranging from counselor and therapist to advocate and policy developer to ensure that the needs of grandparent caregivers are met and that stress is reduced

Working with custodial grandparents

Abstract: Moving beyond simply describing the differences between custodial and noncustodial grandparents, this volume places helping efforts with grandparents in theoretical, empirical, and pragmatic contexts. Stressing the importance of theoretically grounded interventions and empirically-based studies for the design, implementation, and funding of programs, the chapters define an "action-oriented" approach toward changing the lives of grandparents and their grandchildren. The topics include: in what ways do support groups help; caring for children with developmental disabilities; predictors of psychological distress; building parenting skills; and strategies for solving everyday problems, among others.

Intergenerational Influences on Perceptions of Current Relationships with Grandparents

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to investigate inter-generational kinship variables as predictors of perceptions of current grandparent-grandchild relationship quality. A lifecourse perspective is used to demonstrate the need for consideration of the GP-GCH relationship within a three-generational, dynamic framework linking the past and present. Matrifocal kinkeeping, lineage and caregiving history hypotheses are tested in the current study. Responses from a combined sample of 321 young adult grandchildren about their relationships with their parents and all living grandparents provide the basis for the present research. GP-GCH relationship quality is the dependent variable under consideration, which combines perceived emotional closeness and frequency of contact with each of the four possible grandparent types. Independent variables tested include caregiving by grandparents during childhood, young adults' current relationship quality with mothers and fathers, and mothers' and fathers' relationsh...

Intergenerational Triads in Grandparent-Headed Families

Abstract: Objectives. Grandparents are becoming caregivers of their grandchildren more often as a result of their adult children’s drug addiction, mental problems, and financial need. This study examined grandmothers’ well-being in relation to bonding within intergenerational triads consisting of grandmother, parent, and grandchild. Methods. Interviews were conducted with 987 grandmothers recruited through schools and media, including 512 custodial grandmothers raising their grandchildren and 475 coparenting grandmothers helping their adult sons or daughters to raise their grandchildren. Results. Contrary to expectation, triangulation involving a weak parent–grandmother relationship was not related to significantly lower grandmother well-being. In contrast, the emotionally isolated parent, particularly common in custodial families, was related to lower grandmother well-being, whether or not the parent lived in the household. The configuration in which the parent provided a link for both other generations was frequent in coparenting families, but it was not significantly different in grandmother well-being compared to other linking triads. Discussion. Intergenerational triad types appear to be broadly relevant emotional configurations that transcend living situations but appear with different frequencies in custodial and coparenting families. Results affirm the utility of examining multirelationship patterns and describe the restructuring of intergenerational relationships characteristic of parental absence.

Relations with Grandparents Rural Midwest Versus Urban Southern California

Abstract: The rapid growth of urban settlements in the United States has profound but largely unexplored implications for children's relations with grandparents. Rural settlements in the Midwest frequently became a stepping stone to residence in far western states. We examine whether and how relations with grandparents differs for young people in rural farm and nonfarm regions of the Midwest (using the Iowa Youth and Families Project—IYFP) and in urban Southern California (using the Longitudinal Study of Generations—LSOG). Rural youth enjoy more frequent contact with paternal grandparents and receive more help from all grandparents than urban youth. Farm adolescents have even more contact and receive more help from paternal grandparents than rural nonfarm age-mates. Levels of conflict are low across ecologies, although urban youth report higher levels of conflict with maternal grandmothers than rural youth. Even with controls, the relationship of young Americans with their grandparents varies significantly by rural...

Housing Issues and Realities Facing Grandparent Caregivers Who Are Renters

Abstract: Purpose: This study determined the prevalence of grandparents raising grandchildren who are living in rental housing and explored the sociodemographic characteristics and challenges faced by such renters. Design and Methods: Data were obtained from the Census 2000 Supplementary Survey, a nationally representative survey of 700,000 households with a response rate of 96.8%. Frequencies and bivariate analyses were focused on the 2,639 respondents who were grandparent caregiver renters. Results: Of the 2,350,000 grandparent caregivers in the United States in 2000, 26% were renters, almost one third of whom were spending 30% or more of their income on rent. For the quarter of a million grandparent caregiver renters living below the poverty line, 60% were spending at least 30% of their household income on rent and 3 of 10 were living in overcrowded conditions. Implications: Grandparent caregivers who are renters represent a particularly vulnerable population. The need for further research, policy, and programs for this group is discussed.

Perceptions of Communication in a Family Relationship and the Reduction of Intergroup Prejudice

Abstract: From a contact theory perspective, links between variation in young adults' perceptions of communication with their grandparents and attitudes towards older adults are examined. The analysis pays particular attention to variation in communication with multiple grandparents, and finds links between that and perceived variability in the older adult population as a whole. More variation in perceptions of communication with grandparents is associated with perceptions of older adults as more heterogeneous. However, variation in grandparent relationships is associated with more negative attitudes towards older adults on measures of attitudinal central tendency. The results are discussed in terms of intergroup communication processes, contact theory and possible interventions to reduce prejudice in this and other contexts.

Grandparents and grandchildren: a "memory box" course assignment.

Abstract: Grandparents want to share family stories and memories with grandchildren Implementing a classroom "memory box" assignment, allows grandparents and grandchildren a structured opportunity to discuss and explore family memories What types of information do grandparents want to share with their grandchildren? This course assignment was implemented with college age students in a gerontology course with 100 grandparents to explore the types of memories they would like to leave with their grandchildren Topics discussed were family history, family stories, grandparent's role, and advice grandparents would give to their grandchildren Common themes that emerged suggested that grandparents wanted their grandchildren to know the importance of love in the family, spirituality, and morals such as honesty and trust The "memory box" class assignment provides teachers and faculty with an educational learning exercise that can be incorporated into a current course to provide an intergenerational gerontology component into their curriculum

The Role of Grandparents in Divorced Families

Abstract: This article reports on the findings of an exploratory study of how grandparents, parents, and grandchildren view the role of grandparents in the divorced family, and what impact the divorce seems to have on that role. We analyse the findings in three ways. First, we consider the nature of the relationship between grandparents and parents, and grandparents and grandchildren, which we argue appears to be characterized by asymmetry. Second, we identify the two key norms that appear to underlie the way these relationships are operated – the norm of non‐interference and the norm of obligation. Third, we categorize the styles that different grandparents adopt, and suggest that they occupy places on three different continua – grandparent as parent, partisan supporter and adult–child focused. We argue that where any given set of grandparents is located along each of these is established before the parents' divorce, and that the divorce of itself does not fundamentally alter their approach to grandparenting. We conclude that the study suggests that grandparents' willingness to provide support to divorced parents and their children cannot be taken for granted, and that the claim that grandparents should be accorded specific legal rights by virtue of their status is not supported by the evidence obtained in this study.

What African American Parents Want Educators to Know

Abstract: Thompson designed an empirical study to gather feedback from African-American parents on numerous issues pertaining to their children's schooling experiences. The results, discussed in this book, can be utilized to improve the schooling experiences of African-American children nationwide. The African-American parents/guardians who participated in this study were biological parents in two-parent homes, single parents, grandparents, foster parents, and stepparents who were rearing school-age children. Some had been deterred from completing their own formal education as a result of peer pressure, temptation outside of school, or stressful circumstances. Others had positive schooling experiences and stable childhoods. Regardless of the differences in their background experiences, the majority of these parents or guardians were single-minded about wanting a better life for their children, believing that a good K-12 education and college education were crucial to their children's advancement. And while most believed resolutely in the hope offered by the public school system, they recognized that schools couldn't do it all. African-American parents and guardians are willing to work with teachers and administrators to ensure that their children receive a quality education. Yet if the historic achievement gap is ever to be eradicated, teachers, administrators, researchers, and policymakers must be more willing to view African-American parents/guardians as assets. African-American parents/guardians must be invited to verbalize their concerns, and those concerns must be taken seriously to effect meaningful and lasting change in the public school system.

The Structure of Grandparental Role Meaning

Abstract: The present study explored the viability of Kivnick's 5-factor model of grandparental meaning (Kivnick, 1983), wherein this model was tested and subsequently refined on a sample of traditional grandparents (N = 102), and then cross-validated using a sample of custodial grandparents (N = 101). The data suggested that Kivnick's model of grandparental meaning was untenable in both grandparent samples. Instead, a single-factor model was supported in both samples. This suggests that grandparental meaning is best understood without regard to Kivnick's distinctions (Kivnick, 1983). This may reflect a cohort effect in the meaning of grandparenting, as evidenced in the diversity of roles into which grandparents are thrust, increased role confusion, as well as the idiosyncratic manner in which grandparents are often forced to define their roles in today's society.

Grandparents as Family Caregivers: Lessons for Intergenerational Education

Abstract: The number of grandparents who have responsibility for raising grandchildren has increased dramatically over the past several decades. From an educational perspective, content on custodial grandparents can promote an increased interest in, and understanding of the complexities of aging, by stressing the intergenerational aspects of this family form. This paper describes the growing population of custodial grandparents, and the larger socio-environmental contexts of these families. In addition, it highlights instructional approaches for including content on grandparent-headed families within didactic and experimental courses.

Living with Grandma: A Grandfamily Study.

Abstract: In recent years, large numbers of grandparents have become full-time surrogate parents to their grandchildren. These grandparents and grandchildren often have serious problems that may require assi...