Grandparenting and Depressive Symptoms among Mexican American Older Adults: Examining the Moderating Effects of Financial and Emotional Support

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe study aims to examine the moderating effects of financial and emotional support on the association between grandparenting and depressive symptoms among Mexican Americans older adults. Older adults of Mexican American origin were recruited from two adult day centers in Texas in 2010. In-person interviews were conducted with 99 older adults on depressive symptoms, grandparenting experiences, financial support both from and to the adult children, and emotional support from adult children. Multiple regression models were fit to examine how grandparenting impacted depressive symptoms, and how financial exchanges and emotional support moderated the association between grandparenting and depressive symptoms. The findings showed that financial support to adult children moderated the association between grandparenting and depressive symptoms among Mexican American older adults. Specifically, grandparenting was associated with fewer depressive symptoms when financial support to adult children was of lower levels, whereas grandparenting was related to more depressive symptoms when financial support was of higher levels. The significant moderating effect between providing financial support to adult children and grandparenting on depressive symptoms suggested that financial strains may be an important risk factor for stressful grandparenting experiences among Mexican American older adults.