Depression Among Rural Native American and European American Grandparents Rearing Their Grandchildren

Abstract

Increasing numbers of grandparents are rearing their grandchildren because of their adult children's inability to parent. Researchers have begun to document the mental health outcomes of grandparent caregivers in general, yet none have examined the mental health of Native American and European American grandparent caregivers residing in rural communities. To shed light on this topic, the current study examined relationships between degree of rurality; economic, community, and social resources; grandparenting experiences; and depression among 55 rural Native American and European American custodial grandparents. Based on hierarchical regression analyses, the best predictors of depression were grand-parental stress, total time providing primary care to grandchildren, household income, and race. Grandparents experiencing more stress, less time in the role of primary grandparent caregiver, and lower household income reported more depressive symptoms. Moreover, Native American grandparent caregivers reported more depressive symptoms than did their European American counterparts. Implications for research and practice are discussed.