Showing papers on "Grandparent published in 2016"
TL;DR: A positive longitudinal association between grandchild care and health is found even after earlier life health and socio-economic conditions were taken into account, however, this significant association was found only for grandmothers, and not grandfathers.
142 citations
TL;DR: Biological offspring with 2 previous generations affected with major depression were at highest risk for major depression, suggesting the potential value of determining family history of depression in children and adolescents beyond 2 generations, and the specificity of the transmission of depression across 3 generations seems warranted.
Abstract: Importance The increased risk of major depression in the offspring of depressed parents is well known. Whether the risk is transmitted beyond 2 generations is less well known. To our knowledge, no published study with direct interviews of family members and the generations in the age of risk for depression has evaluated beyond 2 generations. This information is important for detecting individuals at highest risk who may benefit from early intervention. Objective To examine the familial aggregation of psychiatric disorder and functioning in grandchildren by their biological parents’ and grandparents’ depression status. Design, Setting, and Participants Longitudinal retrospective cohort family study of 251 grandchildren (generation 3 [mean age, 18 years]) interviewed a mean of 2.0 times and their biological parents (generation 2) interviewed a mean of 4.6 times and grandparents (generation 1) interviewed up to 30 years. The study dates were January 1982 (wave 1) to June 2015 (wave 6). Main Outcomes and Measures Cumulative rates of psychiatric disorders and functioning collected for all generations by clinically trained interviewers and best-estimate diagnosis made blind to diagnoses in members of previous generations. Results There were 91 families (G1) in the original sample, of whom 77 were eligible for inclusion (had a grandchild older than 5 years), and 80.5% (62 of 77) participated in the study. When first examining only 2 generations, the biological children (generation 3) of depressed compared with nondepressed parents (generation 2) had 2-fold increased risk for major depressive disorder (MDD) (hazard ratio [HR], 2.02; 95% CI, 1.08-3.79; P = .03), any disruptive disorder (HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.05-2.75; P = .03), substance dependence (HR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.24-7.08; P = .01), any suicidal ideation or gesture (HR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.28-4.66; P = .007), and poor functioning ( F = 38.25, P F = 6.31, P = .01) but not higher rates of any of the disorders. Potential confounding variables did not have a meaningful effect on the association between grandchild outcomes and parental or grandparental depression. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, biological offspring with 2 previous generations affected with major depression were at highest risk for major depression, suggesting the potential value of determining family history of depression in children and adolescents beyond 2 generations. Early intervention in offspring of 2 generations affected with moderate to severely impairing MDD seems warranted. The specificity of the transmission of depression across 3 generations may make this group a homogeneous sample for biological marker studies.
139 citations
TL;DR: Grandparents looking after grandchildren, whether intensively or nonintensively, experienced some health benefits, and results show better health among grandparents who provided grandchild care in the European countries studied.
Abstract: Objectives. Grandparents are an important source of childcare. However, caring for grandchildren may affect grandparents’ health in both positive and negative ways. Our study examines the association between grandparental childcare and grandparents’ health at 2- and 4-year follow-up. Method. Our study is based on grandparents aged 50 and older from W aves 1–4 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Using multivariate analyses, we investigated associations between intensive and nonintensive grandparental childcare at Wave 2 and subsequent health (self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and disability) controlling for covariates and health at baseline. Associations between changes over time in grandparental childcare and health at follow-up were also explored. Multiple imputation techniques and sensitivity analyses were undertaken to investigate possible biases arising from sample attrition. Results. Grandparents looking after grandc hildren, whether intensively or nonintensively, experienced some health benefits. Associations strengthened when attrition was accounted for, particularly if it is assumed that those who dropped out of the study were in poor health. Discussion. Our results show better health among grandparents who pro vided grandchild care in the European countries studied. These results are important given the widespread provision of grandchild care in Europe.
107 citations
TL;DR: Based on the ecological model of rural left-behind children's development, Zhang et al. as mentioned in this paper systematically reviewed studies related to rural left behind children's mental health in China and investigated leftbehind childrens mental health and its influencing factors.
Abstract: Parental migration has been an important predictor of left-behind children’s developmental outcomes. Based on the ecological model of rural left-behind children’s development, we systematically reviewed studies related to rural left-behind children’s mental health in China and investigated left-behind children’s mental health and its influencing factors. Thirty-two studies involving 28,629 participants met the inclusion criteria were included in our meta-analysis to compare mental health of left-behind children and non-left-behind children. Twenty-two studies involving 8,634 participants were included in gender difference meta-analysis. The results indicated that left-behind children report more mental health problems than non-left-behind children, left-behind girls were confronted with higher level of mental health problems than left-behind boys, left-behind children in primary school and junior high school reported more mental health problems than those in senior high school, and self-guardian children have more serious mental health problems than children guarded by grandparents, former generation, and single parent. Implications for future practice were analyzed from family, school, and government perspectives.
66 citations
20 Sep 2016
TL;DR: The government has asked early years settings to promote British values; these lend themselves to activities that will help children celebrate National Grandparents Day.
Abstract: The government has asked early years settings to promote British values; these lend themselves to activities that will help children celebrate National Grandparents Day.
65 citations
TL;DR: Findings suggest that although children in grandfamilies may be at a disadvantage academically and socioemotionally, grandparent caregivers are in many ways similar to other fragile-family mothers.
Abstract: Using data from the Year 9 Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N~3,182), we investigated the characteristics grandfamilies (grandparents raising their grandchildren with no parent present, N = 84) and compared them to other key groups, including children's nonresident parents and other economically disadvantaged families with children. Results show that grandparents raising their grandchildren were generally better off in terms of educational attainment, marital status, and economic well-being than the child's parents. Grandparents raising their grandchildren also had very similar characteristics to other disadvantaged mothers. Academic and socioemotional well-being was poorer among children in grandfamilies compared with those living with their mothers, but parenting practices were very similar. These findings suggest that although children in grandfamilies may be at a disadvantage academically and socioemotionally, grandparent caregivers are in many ways similar to other fragile-family mothers. Overall, this study enhances our knowledge of an important, yet understudied family type.
64 citations
TL;DR: The findings suggest that parental and grandparental decision-making about feeding and exercise is informed by ideas of what constitutes familial balance and a balanced lifestyle for a preschool aged child, rather than by the child's weight status.
63 citations
TL;DR: Using new nationally representative survey data on three generations in the Netherlands, it is examined if and how grandchildren's educational attainment is affected by three grandparental resources: education, occupational status, and cultural resources.
52 citations
TL;DR: It is clear that grandparents are involved in caretaking for children across many cultures but to understand their role in children's health outcomes, more systematic and longitudinal research needs to be conducted.
Abstract: Introduction Grandparents are often highly involved as secondary caregivers for their grandchildren and may influence children's psychological and physical health outcomes. The purpose of the current review was to gather and synthesize research findings on the effects of grandparent involvement on children's physical health outcomes. Method PubMed, PsycInfo, and MedLine were searched by 3 independent reviewers for articles that reported on grandparent involvement and children's health. Twenty-six articles were included for final review based on selection criteria. Results Relatively few studies have examined the effects of grandparent involvement on children's health outcomes; therefore, the degree of their influence remains unclear. Four categories of children's health outcomes (disease/illness, weight, eating behaviors, and injury/safety) emerged during this review. Results indicated that the majority of studies available reported a negative effect of grandparent involvement on child's weight status. However, it is important to note that in most of these studies, the effects of grandparent involvement were not a primary outcome, and the amount of time grandparents spent with their grandchildren was not accounted for. Many studies in this review were qualitative studies, limiting the types of analyses that could be conducted. In addition, few longitudinal studies have been conducted in this area. Discussion Based on this review, it is clear that grandparents are involved in caretaking for children across many cultures but to understand their role in children's health outcomes, more systematic and longitudinal research needs to be conducted. (PsycINFO Database Record
51 citations
TL;DR: This paper explored how the meaning of the child and parent-child relationships have changed in urban China undergoing rapid modernization, drawing on life history interviews with Beijing post-1990s (jiulinghou) youth in their last secondary school year, their parents, and their grandparents.
Abstract: This article explores how the meaning of the child and parent-child relationships have changed in urban China undergoing rapid modernization. It draws on life history interviews with Beijing post-1990s (jiulinghou) youth in their last secondary school year, their parents, and their grandparents. Chinese urban children have become extremely “precious” to parents. There is much continuity between the two older generations’ parent-child relationships. However, with the birth of the only-child generation and other socioeconomic changes in post-Mao China, the rise of the Chinese “priceless child” occurred. This generational change supports previous theorizing about modernization of parent-child relationships based on Western countries. But both the rise, and the preciousness, of the priceless child in China have been intensified by the dramatic post-Mao social transformation, including the only-child policy. Understanding what it means to be the Chinese “priceless child” adds local contextual nuance to analysi...
49 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a mixed methods study, using a survey and focus groups of grandparent and other kin, examined predictors and sources of parenting stress and found that the kinship family's needs and the caregiver's health and emotional well-being adversely affected parenting stress.
TL;DR: This study examined the influence of solidarity in the grandparent-adult grandchild relationship upon the depressive symptoms of both members of the dyad and suggested how policy makers and practitioners can identify the relational contexts that best promote the well-being of members of both generations.
Abstract: Purpose of the Study: Grandparent–adult grandc hild relationships are becoming longer and more common, and therefore potentially more influential in the lives of individuals. This study examined the influence of solidarity (i.e., affinity, contact, and functional exchange) in the grandparent–adult grandchild relationship upon the depressive symptoms of both members of the dyad. Design and Methods: The study used data from the L ongitudinal Study of Generations, a survey of 3- and 4-generation U.S. families that included 7 waves of data collection between 1985 and 2004. The sample was comprised of 374 grandparents and 356 adult grandchildren. We analyzed the data using multilevel growth curve models. Results: F or both grandparents and adult grandchildren, greater affinity reduced depressive symptoms and more frequent contact increased symptoms. For grandparents only, receiving functional support without also providing it increased depressive symptoms. Implications: The average grandparent–adult grandc hild relationship is a source of both support and strain to both generations. These relationships exhibit great diversity, however, with large amounts of variation between dyads and within a single dyad over time. We suggest how policy makers and practitioners can identify the relational contexts that best promote the well-being of members of both generations.
TL;DR: There is a much-needed expansion in parenting research to include not only mothers as the focus-as has been the case almost exclusively to date-but also fathers, grandparents, and other caregivers.
TL;DR: The results show that for both African Americans and whites, grandparent effects are the strongest for grandchildren who grew up in two- parent families, followed by those in single-parent families with divorced parents, and the weakest effects were marked in single parent families with unmarried parents.
Abstract: In recent years, sociological research investigating grandparent effects in three-generation social mobility has proliferated, mostly focusing on the question of whether grandparents have a direct effect on their grandchildren’s social attainment. This study hypothesizes that prior research has overlooked family structure as an important factor that moderates grandparents’ direct effects. Capitalizing on a counterfactual causal framework and multigenerational data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, this study examines the direct effect of grandparents’ years of education on grandchildren’s years of educational attainment and heterogeneity in the effects associated with family structure. The results show that for both African Americans and whites, grandparent effects are the strongest for grandchildren who grew up in two-parent families, followed by those in single-parent families with divorced parents. The weakest effects were marked in single-parent families with unmarried parents. These findings suggest that the increasing diversity of family forms has led to diverging social mobility trajectories for families across generations.
TL;DR: Grandparents and children shared a relationship that skipped the parent generation and influenced dietary behaviours bi-directionally, having implications for the delivery of dietary health messages used in disease prevention interventions designed to reach culturally and linguistically diverse populations and all members of multigenerational families.
07 Jun 2016
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate how grandmothers use Facebook to facilitate family communication with children and grandchildren who move far away from home, and find that family relationships play a central role in grandmothers' motivations and behaviours surrounding Facebook use.
Abstract: Despite ageist stereotypes about older people’s abilities to engage with information and communication technologies, grandparents are increasingly engaged with digital media. Grandmothers, in particular, are primarily responsible for using of web-based services to communicate with their children and grandchildren (Quadrello et al., 2005). Photos and news from children and grandchildren, especially grandbabies, act as important incentives for grandparents to go online. The purpose of the study, therefore, was to investigate how grandmothers use Facebook to facilitate family communication with children and grandchildren who move far away from home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with grandmothers living in Romania and Canada, having a Facebook account and relevant family members (children or grandchildren) far from home. Three themes emerged from the data indicating: 1) the tendency to switch between different platforms to facilitate family communication; 2) the relative passive use of Facebook, focusing on photos and quotations as content that trigger emotions; 3) that Facebook usage is influenced by social norms around decency and privacy. Findings suggest that family relationships play a central role in grandmothers’ motivations and behaviours surrounding Facebook use.
TL;DR: Raising one or two children with disabilities was significantly related to maternal psychological distress compared to mothers of children without disability, and differences among partnered mothers living with grandparents, partnered mothers without grandparent(s), and single mothers were assessed.
Abstract: Objective Previous studies conducted in Japan targeted only mothers who cared for children with disabilities, and lacked reference subjects, such as mothers of children without disabilities. The aim of this study was to examine the association between raising one or two children with a disability and maternal psychological distress compared to mothers of children without a disability, and to assess differences among partnered mothers living with grandparent(s), partnered mothers without grandparent(s), and single mothers. Methods This study utilized data from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions (CSLC) in 2010. We merged the data of the children (aged six and over), mothers, and fathers. This study obtained 33,739 study subjects as a triad of a child (33,110 children without disabilities and 629 children with disabilities), mother, and father. The Japanese version of Kessler 6 (K6) was used to assess the psychological distress of mothers. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the independent association of a child with a disability on maternal psychological distress after controlling for the basic characteristics of the children, mothers, and households. Results This study reported that raising one or two children with disabilities was significantly related to maternal psychological distress (odds ratio: 1.72 for one child, 2.85 for two children) compared to mothers of children without disability. After stratifying the analyses by family structure, significant associations remained among mothers in two-parent families but not for mothers in three-generation families and single mothers due to a small number of children with disabilities in these families. Conclusions This study reported the significant association between raising a child with a disability and maternal psychological distress in comparison to mothers of children without disabilities. Attention should be paid to not only single mothers, but also partnered mothers in two-parent families who have a child with a disability. It is important for health professionals to focus on the mental health of every mother of a child with a disability and to assess their needs for psychological support.
TL;DR: High school students from one community with ongoing intergenerational programming hold a more positive image of older adults, and a town difference in students' positive, but not negative, images of aging is revealed.
Abstract: Purpose of the study On the face of the shrinking opportunities for children and older adults to routinely interact with one another-sometimes the result of adolescent geographies, age-segregated and gated communities, families' geographical mobility-many communities have introduced intergenerational programs within the school curriculum. For more than a decade one Massachusetts community has maintained an intergenerational program that brings fourth grade students together with older adults. The question is, does students' involvement in an intergenerational program lessened ageist beliefs 5-9 years later. Design and methods A quasi-experimental research design examined the "images of aging" held by 944 students who grew up in neighboring towns and attend a regional high school. Participants completed brief questionnaire. Results Separate regression analyses of positive and negative images of aging-controlling for students' frequency and self-reported quality of interaction with older adults, ethnicity, age, and gender-reveal a town difference in students' positive, but not negative, images of aging. Implications What is certain is that the high school students from one community with ongoing intergenerational programming hold a more positive image of older adults. Further research is needed to parse out exactly how short- and long-term legacy effects arise when young students have an opportunity to interact closely with older adults who are not their grandparents or neighbors.
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01 Feb 2016TL;DR: The increasing need for grandchild care and assistance in the United States and the dearth of federal and employer supports for working families are explored, as well as the impact of sociodemographic trends on the intensification of grandparenting.
Abstract: 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.
TL;DR: The prospective analysis revealed social support was a mediator in the association between depressive symptoms and mental health quality of life for older African American grandmothers; however, this same relationship did not hold for their younger counterparts.
Abstract: Custodial grandparents raising grandchildren experience intense levels of stress that can lead to depression and other forms of psychological distress. Drawing on a coping model of family stress, adjustment, and adaptation, we explored the relationship between depression and mental health quality of life mediated by social support and moderated by grandparent's age. The sample consisted of 667 African American custodial grandmothers, dichotomized into two age groupings, ≤55 (n = 306) and 55 + (n = 361). All grandmothers participated in a 12-month support intervention. The prospective analysis revealed social support was a mediator in the association between depressive symptoms and mental health quality of life for older African American grandmothers; however, this same relationship did not hold for their younger counterparts. Study limitations and future research directions are discussed.
TL;DR: The study implies that cultural values and life transitions may shape grandparent caregiving experiences and well‐being, indicating the importance of respecting cultural differences in family caregiving.
Abstract: The rapid increase in grandparents caring for grandchildren has received growing attention, but little research has focused on Chinese-American grandparents and their caregiving experiences. Drawing on cross-sectional data from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly—a community-engaged, epidemiological study of Chinese-American adults aged 60 and older, the relationships between caregiving experiences and psychological well-being were examined. Of 2,365 older adults who answered the question about grandparent caregiving, 818 (35%) were designated as caregivers, spending an average of 12 hours a week on childcare. About one in five caregivers reported caregiving burden, pressure, or negative health effect of caregiving. Caregivers had better psychological well-being than noncaregivers, with significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, and loneliness. For caregivers, higher levels of caregiving burden, pressure from adult children, and perceived negative effect were related to greater rates of psychological distress. With a strong cultural expectation of family care, grandparent caregiving is generally associated with positive psychological well-being, but it can also be stressful, especially when older adults feel pressured to provide childcare or that doing so is a burden. The study implies that cultural values and life transitions may shape grandparent caregiving experiences and well-being, indicating the importance of respecting cultural differences in family caregiving. Understanding positive and negative aspects of grandparent caregiving and the underlying mechanisms will help healthcare professionals identify caregivers at risk of psychological distress and provide proper interventions to attenuate negative outcomes while maximizing positive experiences for Chinese-American older adults.
TL;DR: For example, this article found that a close relationship with grandparents is associated with lower levels of psychological adjustment problems after parental divorce, while a lack of contact between grandparents and their grandchildren was associated with higher levels of depression.
Abstract: Twentieth-century family sociology has focused very much on the nuclear family and conjugal bonds (Bengtson, 2001; Segalen, 2010). Although there are notable exceptions (including Bengtson & Robertson, 1985, and Cherlin & Furstenberg, 1986), there has been much less research on grandparents. Attias-Donfut and Segalen (2007) argued that this emphasis is closely linked to the idea that raising children is the responsibility of the parents and that grandparents ought not to get involved too much.Grand parenthood has been receiving more attention in the literature in recent years (e.g., Arber & Timonen, 2012; Attias-Donfut & Segalen, 2007; Szinovacz, 1998). At least two social developments may be connected with this upturn of scientific interest. First, demographic changes of the past few decades have given more room to grandparent-grandchild relations. Greater longevity implies that more people now become a grandparent and often survive into the adult life span of their grandchildren. At the same time, lower fertility rates in subsequent generations translate into a lower ratio of grandchildren to grandparents and potential greater time and attention for each grandchild (Arber & Timonen, 2012; Szinovacz, 1998; Uhlenberg & Kirby, 1998). A second major development involves the widespread increase in divorce rates. The implication of divorce for grandparent-grandchild relationships is the focus of this study.Some scholars note that divorce may raise the risk of extended family ties being weakened, or even severed (Attias-Donfut & Segalen, 2007; Dykstra & Komter, 2012; Timonen, Doyle, & O'Dwyer, 2009), but others emphasize that the vulnerability of conjugal relations and nuclear families makes intergenerational family ties become ever more important to fulfill essential family functions. In this sense, the rise in divorce rates is expected to raise the involvement of grandparents in supporting and socializing grandchildren (Bengtson, 2001; Johnson, 1998; Thompson, 1999).Scientific evidence on the implications of a parental divorce for grandparent-grandchild relations is limited. The existing literature suggests that grandparents may be an important source of support for their grandchildren, particularly in times of a family crisis such as a parental divorce. They may provide practical and financial help as well as emotional stability (Bridges, Roe, Dunn, & O'Connor, 2007; Ferguson, 2004). In regard to children, some studies have shown that a close relationship with grandparents is associated with lower levels of psychological adjustment problems after parental divorce (Henderson, Hayslip, Sanders, & Louden, 2009; Lussier, Deater-Deckard, Dunn, & Davies, 2002). Conversely, for grandparents, disruption of contact with grandchildren has been found to have an adverse impact on emotional health (Doyle, O'Dywer, & Timonen, 2010; L. M. Drew & Silverstein, 2007).Exchange of support between grandparents and grandchildren is strongly conditioned by the frequency of face-to-face contact. Contact increases the likelihood of exchange of help in kind, not only because it reduces the costs of giving help but also because it makes the support provider aware of the recipient's needs (Dykstra & Fokkema, 2011). The existing studies have reported less frequent contact between grandparents and grandchildren following parental divorce. This is particularly the case for paternal grandparents, which is also the group most at risk for losing all contact (Creasey, 1993; L. A. Drew & Smith, 1999; Geurts, Poortman, van Tilburg, & Dykstra, 2009; Jaskowski & Dellasega, 1993; Kemp, 2007; Myers & Perrin, 1993; Oppelaar & Dykstra, 2004). For contacts with maternal grandparents, some studies have reported no impact of divorce (Cooney & Smith, 1996; Henderson et al., 2009), and Ehrenberg and Smith (2003) even found higher contact frequency between grandchildren and maternal grandmothers after divorce. …
TL;DR: Chinese immigrant mothers in Australia need support to breastfeed exclusively and culturally sensitive guidance is needed and the contradictions in advice given by Chinese grandparents and health professionals on infant feeding practices and healthy infant growth need to be recognised and addressed.
TL;DR: For example, Braun and Clarke as mentioned in this paper examined what grandparents find most rewarding about being a grandparent and found that maturation, mutual affection, pride, shared activities, and teaching and learning are among the most rewarding aspects of being a parent.
Abstract: According to Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (Carstensen, 1995), people become emotionally selective as they grow older and therefore choose to sustain primarily their closest relationships (i.e., family relationships), including their grandparent-granchild relationships. Thus, to provide practical suggestions for grandchildren and parents of grandchildren, the purpose of this study was to examine what grandparents (N = 104) find most rewarding about being grandparents. The participants completed a survey in which they were asked to answer the question: “In your experience, what are the best parts of being a grandparent?” The 586 responses were coded in accordance with Braun and Clarke’s (2006) recommendations for thematic analyses, which resulted in five distinct themes: maturation, mutual affection, pride, shared activities, and teaching and learning.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors directly link family lines across data spanning 1910 to 2013 and find a substantial "grandparent effect" for cohorts born since 1920, as well as some evidence of a 'great-grandparent' effect.
Abstract: Studies of US intergenerational mobility focus almost exclusively on the transmission of (dis)advantage from parents to children. Until very recently, the influence of earlier generations could not be assessed even in long-running longitudinal studies such as the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). We directly link family lines across data spanning 1910 to 2013 and find a substantial “grandparent effect” for cohorts born since 1920, as well as some evidence of a “great-grandparent effect.” Although these may be due to measurement error, we conclude that estimates from only two generations of data understate persistence by about 20 percent.Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.
TL;DR: In this paper, a social research design and development process informed a school district-university partnership project responding to the needs of a group of custodial grandparents was described, highlighting the need for school and family engagement, recognition of the significant changes in family role required for grandparents, and viewing custodial grandchildren as leaders and engaged caregivers.
Abstract: Custodial grandparents play a significant role in sustaining healthy families, but the caregiving is demanding. A social research design and development process informed a school district-university partnership project responding to the needs of a group of custodial grandparents. Three phases of the project are described: (i) needs assessment; (ii) design and implementation of a psychoeducational group facilitated by social work faculty and a school district administrator; and (iii) evaluation of programme impact. Major themes from the needs assessment and evaluation are presented. Discussion highlights the need for school and family engagement, recognition of the significant changes in family role required for grandparents, and viewing custodial grandparents as leaders and engaged caregivers. The meaning of diversity in group intervention for this population is also explored.
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TL;DR: This paper explored the role of maternal and paternal grandfathers for the transmission of economic status to grandsons and granddaughters in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Abstract: This paper estimates intergenerational elasticities across three generations in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We extend the methodology in Olivetti and Paserman (2015) to explore the role of maternal and paternal grandfathers for the transmission of economic status to grandsons and granddaughters. We document three main findings. First, grandfathers matter for income transmission, above and beyond their effect on fathers’ income. Second, the socio-economic status of grandsons is influenced more strongly by paternal grandfathers than by maternal grand- fathers. Third, maternal grandfathers are more important for granddaughters than for grandsons, while the opposite is true for paternal grandfathers. We present a model of multi-trait matching and inheritance that can rationalize these findings.
TL;DR: The results show that parents' income and low emotional support from paternal grandparents were significantly associated with more severe obesity and grandparental social support may be protective against childhood obesity.
Abstract: Summary
While the influence of parental socioeconomic status (SES) on children's weight status is well known, the impact of other family-related aspects such as parental and grandparental social support is less understood. This study investigates the importance of parents' SES and social support (functional and structural) for weight status in a clinical sample of preschoolers 4–6 years old with obesity (n = 39, 56% girls; 73% of parents were overweight/obese, 50% were of non-Swedish origin). Linear regression analyses, simple and multiple, were performed on SES and social support with child BMI SDS (body mass index standard deviation score) as the dependent variable. The results show that parents' income and low emotional support from paternal grandparents were significantly associated with more severe obesity. The association between parental income and the child's BMI SDS was stronger among parents who had low emotional support from their own parents. In conclusion, grandparental social support may be protective against childhood obesity.
TL;DR: Results show that grandparents raising coresidential grandchildren have lower odds of volunteering than grandparents providing no regulargrandchild care, however, grandparents who provide nonresidential grandchild care are more likely to volunteer than grandparents not providing grand child care and those raising a coresidential grandchild.
Abstract: Objectives. W e examine whether grandparenting roles are related to formal volunteering among older adults. Method. Logistic re gression is used to examine the likelihood of volunteering based on grandchild care using data from the 2004 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (n = 13,785). Longitudinal analyses utilize treatment effects models to examine changes in volunteering for grandparents who begin nonresidential grandchild care between the 2004 and 2008 waves (n = 10,811). Results. Results sho w that grandparents raising coresidential grandchildren have lower odds of volunteering than grandparents providing no regular grandchild care. However, grandparents who provide nonresidential grandchild care are more likely to volunteer than grandparents not providing grandchild care and those raising a coresidential grandchild. Grandparents who provide nonresidential care for grandchildren engage in more volunteering before assuming grandchild care, and their volunteerism increases after becoming a caregiver for a grandchild. Discussion. Consistent with resource theory and the accumulation of roles, pro viding nonresidential grandchild care may draw grandparents into formal volunteer activity. The lower human capital resources evidenced by grandparents raising coresidential grandchildren may play a role in their lower likelihood of formal volunteering.
TL;DR: This study examined parental perceptions of stress and identified potential links among parental stress and children’s eating patterns, physical activity, and screen-time to develop targets for childhood obesity interventions in non-Hispanic-Black (Black) families.
Abstract: Objective In an effort to develop targets for childhood obesity interventions in non-Hispanic-Black (Black) families, this study examined parental perceptions of stress and identified potential links among parental stress and children's eating patterns, physical activity, and screen-time. Method Thirty-three self-identified Black parents or grandparents of a child aged 3 to 7 years were recruited from a large, urban Black church to participate in semistructured interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Parents/grandparents described a pathway between how stress affected them personally and their child's eating, structured (sports/dance) and unstructured (free-play) physical activity, and screen-time usage, as well as strategies to prevent this association. Five themes emerged: stress affects parent behaviors related to food and physical activity variably; try to be healthy even with stress; parent/grandparent stress eating and parenting; stress influences family cooking, food choices, and child free-play; and screen-time use to decrease parent stress. Negative parent/grandparent response to their personal stress adversely influenced food purchases and parenting related to child eating, free-play, and screen-time. Children of parents/grandparents who ate high-fat/high-sugar foods when stressed requested these foods. In addition to structured physical activity, cooking ahead and keeping food in the house were perceived to guard against the effects of stress except during parent cravings. Parent/child screen-time helped decrease parent stress. Conclusion Parents/grandparents responded variably to stress which affected the child eating environment, free-play, and screen-time. Family-based interventions to decrease obesity in Black children should consider how stress influences parents. Targeting parent cravings and coping strategies that utilize structure in eating and physical activity may be useful intervention strategies.