Grandparent-headed Families Research Articles

Korean Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: The Influence of Cultural Factors

ABSTRACT Korean grandparents raising grandchildren play a significant role for future generations, but there is limited cultural understanding of custodial grandparents. A phenomenological qualitative approach was used to understand the lived experiences of Korean custodial grandparents and the meaning of grandparent caregiving in Korean culture. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 custodial grandparents. Three themes emerged: (1) Multifaceted needs and challenges of grandparent-headed families in Korea; (2) Unique cultural phenomena in Korean grandparenting; and (3) Complexities between existing custodial grandparenting challenges and COVID. Findings highlight the importance of understanding cultural factors to better support the marginalized population. Collaboration with community resources is recommended for the development and implementation of culturally responsive programs and policies for grandparent-headed families in Korea.

Socioemotional and Behavioral Problems of Grandchildren Raised by Grandparents: The Role of Grandparent-Grandchild Relational Closeness and Conflict.

This study examined the associations of grandparent-grandchild relational closeness and conflict with grandchildren's socioemotional and behavioral problems, including emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, and abnormal prosocial behaviors. We analyzed primary cross-sectional survey data collected from custodial grandparents in the United States using logistic regression models. The results indicated that grandparent-grandchild relational closeness was significantly associated with lower odds of custodial grandchildren having emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer problems, and abnormal prosocial behaviors, whereas grandparent-grandchild relational conflict was significantly associated with higher odds of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems, and abnormal prosocial behaviors. Implications for increasing grandparent-grandchild relational closeness and decreasing relational conflicts among grandparent-headed families are discussed, which might improve grandchildren's socioemotional and behavioral well-being.

Custodial Grandchildren’s School Attendance and Academic Performance during COVID-19: The Role of Technology

Due to COVID-19, many schools switched to remote instruction, creating an urgency to address the technology needs of many families, including grandparent-headed families. Many grandparent-headed families (i.e., custodial grandparents) have limited access to digital devices and stable internet. Moreover, many of these grandparents lack the skills and confidence to use technology, which may affect both their grandchildren’s ability to attend school as well as their academic performance. This study investigates both the associations of grandfamilies’ access to technology and custodial grandparents’ comfort level with technology with their grandchildren’s academic attendance and performance during COVID-19. We analyzed cross-sectional survey data collected from grandparents raising grandchildren between March 2021 and February 2022 in the United States. Ordered logistic regression analyses were conducted using STATA. The key results suggested that grandfamilies’ more stable access to technology (OR = 1.54, p = 0.048) and grandparents’ high comfort level with technology (OR = 2.18, p = 0.003) during grandchildren’s remote learning were significantly associated with higher odds of grandchildren’s better school attendance. Similarly, more stable access to technology (OR = 1.53, p = 0.048) and higher comfort level with technology (OR = 1.67, p = 0.030) were significantly associated with higher odds of grandchildren’s better academic performance. The results imply the need to provide stable internet and digital devices to grandfamilies without access to these services or devices, as well as technical assistance and technical-related education workshops to custodial grandparents who are not tech-savvy.

Grandparent-Headed Families in University-Assisted Community Schools: Application of Social Capital Theory

AbstractUniversity-assisted community schools (UACS), which work as partnerships between schools and universities that assist the mobilization of coordinated services to children, families, and communities, can build capacity for schools and neighborhoods to better serve the needs of marginalized families, such as grandparent-headed households. Despite the increase of grandparents raising grandchildren, school staff are often ill equipped with the necessary skills and resources to support these children and their caretakers, who have multifaceted needs and complicated family contexts. In this conceptual article, the authors utilize social capital theory to propose social work practice implications for implementing UACS to support grandparent-headed families, focusing on three target areas: (1) social obligation and social trust, (2) network and information flow, and (3) norms and effective sanctions. The UACS model can be a vehicle for building social trust among grandparent-headed families, schools, and local communities that can lead to a shared model for grandchildren’s academic success. Strengthened networks and information flows are necessary to enhance engagement with these marginalized caregivers. Last, details of how to create norms of cooperation that utilize grandparent-headed families as partners and experts are suggested for effective implementation of the UACS model that engages grandparent-headed families.

EXPERIENCES OF KOREAN GRANDFAMILIES: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MATERNAL AND PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS

Abstract Grandparent-headed families in South Korea have been growing prominent in the country’s cultural landscape. Approximately 153,000 Korean grandparent-headed households existed in 2015; this number is expected to double by 2035. This qualitative study explored Korean custodial grandparents’ experiences of raising grandchildren and the cultural significance of multigenerational caregiving in Korea. Using a phenomenological approach, semistructured interviews with 22 custodial grandparents were conducted. Significant functions of patrilineality and stigma surrounding divorce for Korean grandparent-headed families were found. Considering the complicated cultural factors, social/family service programs must pay attention to the unique needs of grandparent-headed families and consider the circumstances related to grandparents’ positions in the family (i.e., paternal vs. maternal grandparent caregivers). Korean government programs and policies could better help marginalized grandparent-headed families with an empowerment approach to help marginalized grandparent-headed families gain positive attitudes toward their caregiving situation.

EMBRACING THE DIVERSITY OF GRANDFAMILIES: UNDERSTANDING THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE AND RACISM

Abstract In line with this year’s conference theme, we examine diversity in different forms, such as racial, cultural, and familial diversity. We discuss the importance of diversity’s influence on the experiences of grandfamilies and the impact it has on their members. Findings from a study with Latinx grandparent caregivers suggest that those raising grandchildren often do not view themselves as “raising,” but instead “helping.” Such findings highlight the importance of understanding cultural norms to appropriately tailor services and resources. In an exploration of the experiences of Korean custodial grandparents, findings demonstrated the influence of patrilineality and stigma surrounding divorce for Korean grandparent-headed families, indicating the importance of considering a grandparents’ position in the family when providing services. In a study with custodial grandparents during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers examined the role of racial discrimination on grandparents' depressive symptoms and access to health services. Results indicated a higher level of perceived racial discrimination was associated with more depressive symptoms. These results imply the need to address racial/ethnic disparities experienced by these caregivers. Similarly, in a study of emerging adults raised by grandparents, race moderated the influence of attachment on symptoms of racial discrimination. Findings support the use of interventions addressing attachment and ethnic identity to decrease symptoms of racial trauma in grandfamilies. Together these four studies reiterate the diversity of grandfamilies, enrich our understanding of these families, and encourage us to reimagine how to best serve them.

Connecting Grandparent Caregivers Through Telemental Health During COVID-19

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, children and their caregivers throughout the world are experiencing unprecedented long-term social isolation. For too many, especially grandparent-headed families, underrepresented minorities, and those living in poverty, this precipitates and exacerbates mental health conditions including anxiety and depression. Despite these families’ increased needs for mental health services during the pandemic, professionals often lack experience and expertise in telemental health, which is a safe and effective way to provide these services. In this symposium, we will present a telemental health model for working with grandparent-headed families that draws upon Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), an evidence-based approach focusing on strengths. This SFBT-based telemental health training program prepares mental health professionals to implement this safe and innovative intervention, enabling them to effectively serve isolated and marginalized grandparent caregivers and their families when providing in-person services is not possible.

Material Hardship Among Custodial Grandparents and Grandchildren's Physical and Mental Health in COVID-19

COVID-19 has increased economic hardship for many families, including custodial grandparent-headed families. We aim to examine latent classes of material hardship among custodial grandparent-headed families, to assess predictors associated with identified classes, and to investigate associations with grandchildren’s physical and mental health outcomes during COVID-19. Data was collected from a cross-sectional survey in June 2020. The sample comprised of 362 grandparents. Latent class analysis and logistic regression were conducted. Three latent classes of material hardship were identified: Class 1 (n = 232; 64.1%) low overall hardship with high medical hardship, class 2 (n = 52; 14.4%) moderate overall hardship with high utility hardship, and class 3 (n = 78; 21.5%) severe overall hardship. Factors, such as race, household income, labor force status, financial assistance status, and trigger events to raise grandchildren, were associated with class membership. Class 2 (OR = 0.19, p < 0.05) compared to Class 1 was significantly associated with grandchildren’s physical health. Our findings suggest that material hardship is heterogeneous among custodial grandparents during COVID-19, and children in households experiencing utility hardship have a higher risk for poorer physical health outcomes. Results highlight the needs to meet grandparents’ material needs and call for future research to examine the mechanism that explains the link between material hardship and grandchildren’s outcomes.

Material hardship among custodial grandparents in COVID-19 and its associations with Grandchildren’s physical and mental health: A latent class analysis

COVID-19 has increased economic hardship for many families, including custodial grandparent-headed families. We aim to examine latent classes of material hardship among custodial grandparent-headed families, to assess predictors associated with identified classes, and to investigate associations with grandchildren’s physical and mental health outcomes during COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey was administered via Qualtrics Panels in June 2020. The sample comprised of 362 grandparents. Latent class analysis and multinomial and binary logistic regression were conducted. Three latent classes of material hardship were identified: Class 1 low overall hardship with high medical hardship, class 2 moderate overall hardship with high utility hardship, and class 3 severe overall hardship. Factors, including race, household income, labor force status, years of care, and financial assistance status, were associated with class membership. Class 2 was significantly associated with grandchildren’s physical health. Our findings suggest that material hardship is heterogeneous among custodial grandparents during COVID-19, and children in households experiencing utility hardship have a higher risk for poorer physical health outcomes. Results highlight the need to meet grandparents’ material needs and call for future research to examine possible mechanisms that explain the link between material hardship and grandchildren’s outcomes.

A Qualitative Study on the Experiences of Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren during the COVID-19 Pandemic

본 연구는 개별 심층면접을 통해 조손가족 조모의 손자녀 양육에 대한 경험을 확인하고, 양육자의 관점에서 어떠한 신체-심리-사회적 이슈들을 당면하고 있는지 파악하는 것을 주요 목적으로 하고 있다. 특히 코로나19 팬데믹 상황 속에서 조모와 손자녀가 경험하는다양한 이슈와 변화 및 어려움을 탐색하였다. 연구 참여자는 동거가족 내 부모세대 없이 6개월 이상 손자녀를 전담 양육하는 7명의 조모이고, 자료수집은 반 구조화된 심층 면접을 통해 이루어졌다. 분석결과 1) 손자녀 양육에 대한 나의 느낌, 걱정, 그리고 대처, 2) 손자녀 양육의현실에서 부딪히는 어려움과 장애, 3) 자라면서 변화하는 손자녀와의 갈등 그리고 대처, 4) 조부모, 부모, 손자녀 그들 간의 관계와 감정, 5) 서비스 및 자원에 대한 욕구와 바람이라는 5개의 주요 범주를 발견할 수 있었다. 이들 범주에서는 총 16개의 주제어와 60개의 하위주제어가도출되었다. 전반적으로 연구에 참여한 조모는 손자녀 양육에 대해 양가감정(보람과 부담감)을 갖고 있었고, 공통적으로 경제적 어려움과건강의 한계, 손자녀와의 소통 단절에 대한 어려움을 언급하였다. 특히, 코로나19로 인해 손자녀가 조모와의 대화 없이 하루 종일 집에서컴퓨터와 게임에 몰입하면서 세대 간 갈등이 더욱 심화되는 경향이 나타났다. 조모의 서비스 욕구는 손자녀를 위한 학습지원과 정서적·관계적 지원, 그리고 경제적 지원에 우선순위를 보였다. 이와 같은 연구결과를 토대로 조손가족 지원을 위한 정책적, 실천적 제언을 논의하였다.The purpose of this study was to investigate parenting experiences among grandmothers raising their grandchildren from grandmothers’ perspective, and a variety of their physical health, psychological and social challenges they were facing in everyday life. In addition, this study explored new issues, changes, and difficulties grandparents and their grandchildren were going through during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven grandmothers raising their grandchildren without their cohabiting parents participated in an in-depth interview, and the qualitative date were obtained using semi-structured questionnaires. Analyses identified 5 main categories: 1) my emotion, worries, and coping with parenting grandchildren, 2) difficulties and obstacles facing in real life of the parenting, 3) conflicts and coping with growing grandchildren who showed new characters, 4) relationships and emotions among grandparents, parents, and grandchildren, and 5) needs and desires toward social services and support. Sixteen themes and 60 sub-themes were also derived. The majority of grandmothers expressed diverse difficulties in their daily lives including ambivalent emotions regarding grandchild-rearing(rewards and burden), economic hardships, physical health limitations, and a lack of communications with their grandchildren. Further, findings indicated profound generation conflicts which had been even deepened during school close period in COVID-19 pandemic and had been associated with increased hours of using internet and playing computer games. The top priority of the social service needs among interviewed grandmothers was learning support for their grandchildren. Emotional support and social support to cover their lack of family interactions, and financial support were the next of their desired social services. Implications to improve social services for grandparent-headed families are discussed.

Material hardship and child neglect risk amidst COVID-19 in grandparent-headed kinship families: The role of financial assistance

BackgroundCOVID-19 has exacerbated material hardship among grandparent-headed kinship families. Grandparent-headed kinship families receive financial assistance, which may mitigate material hardship and reduce child neglect risk. ObjectiveThis study aims to examine (1) the association between material hardship and child neglect risk; and (2) whether financial assistance moderates this association in a sample of kinship grandparent-headed families during COVID-19. Participants and settingCross-sectional survey data were collected from a convenience sample of grandparent-headed kinship families (not necessarily child welfare involved) (N = 362) in the United States via Qualtrics Panels online survey. MethodsDescriptive, bivariate, and negative binomial regression were conducted using STATA 15.0. ResultsExperiencing material hardship was found to be associated with an increased risk of child neglect, and receiving financial assistance was associated with a decreased risk of child neglect in the full sample and a subsample with household income > $30,000. Receiving financial assistance buffered the negative effect of material hardship on child neglect risk across analytic samples, and receiving SNAP was a significant moderator in the full sample. Among families with a household income ≤ $30,000, receiving SNAP and foster care payments was associated with a decreased risk of child neglect, while receiving TANF and unemployment insurance was associated with an increased risk of child neglect. Among families with household income > $30,000, only receiving SNAP was associated with a decreased risk of child neglect. ConclusionsThis study suggests the potential importance of providing concrete financial assistance, particularly SNAP and foster care payments, to grandparent-headed kinship families in efforts to decrease child neglect risk during COVID-19.

A Comparison of the Process and Content of Sexual Communications Among African American Adolescent Children Living in Parent and Grandparent Headed Families.

IntroductionThe process of parental sexual communication has been shown to delay the sexual debut of adolescents; however, few studies have focused on extended family members such as grandparents. The purpose of this study was to compare the process and content of sexual communications among African-American adolescent children living in parent or grandparent headed families.MethodsA secondary analysis of two de-identified datasets from 80 African-American adolescents was conducted.ResultsFindings indicated that there were no significant differences in the sexual communication process in relation to facilitators p= 0.38 and barriers p =0.23 with the discussions. There were however significant differences with adolescents’ attitudes (p = 0.04) and feelings regarding sexual abstinence (p =0.01), HIV prevention (p= 0.002) and teen pregnancy (p= 0.010).DiscussionResearchers can use the results of this study as a beginning point in examining the sexual communication process in grandparent-headed families.

Diverse Needs of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Qualitative Research in Malawi, South Korea, and the United States

Despite custodial grandparents’ significant contributions to their grandchildren’s healthy development, unique needs of older adults often remain unmet with a limited cultural understanding of intergenerational caregiving. Using a phenomenological approach, interviews and focus groups were conducted with 75 custodial grandparents in Malawi (n=29), South Korea (n=23), and the U.S. (n=23). Malawian grandparents presented financial and physical hardships; however, they experienced strong support from community. Korean grandparents reported similar needs as Malawian grandparents while additionally experiencing cultural biases toward grandparent-headed families (maternal grandparenting and adult child’s divorce). The U.S. grandparents disclosed increased needs for social support as well as family trauma with intergenerational impacts. The increase in custodial grandparent population across the world and findings from this comparative transnational research highlight the need for development of a model for culturally responsive practice with grandparent-headed families in a global context. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Grandparents as Caregivers Interest Group.

The Coping Mechanisms Employed by Grandparent-Headed Families in Addressing Juvenile Delinquency in Hill Crest, Alice Township, Eastern Cape Province

Abstract Literature studies have shown that older persons face an array of challenges, among them parenting a delinquent grandchild. This study adopted both a qualitative approach and paradigm, supported by an explorative and a descriptive case study design. The study sampled eleven participants, and data were collected using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with grandparents, a community committee member, and probation officers. Measures employed by grandparent households in tandem with the Department of Social Development were unearthed. These included, but were not limited to, corporal punishment, seeking assistance from relatives, seeking assistance from social workers, and creating attachment. This article recommends that the government prioritize the grandparents’ vulnerability to the dangers of parenting difficult children, either by freeing them from such a harmful environment, or putting measures in place to manage children in conflict with the law, with special attention to grandparent-headed households.

Family socioeconomic status and Chinese young children’ social competence: Parenting processes as mediators and contextualizing factors as moderators

Abstract Based on data from 5,778 Chinese families with young children (13 to 36 months old), this study tested a model in which socioeconomic status (SES) was linked to child social competence through both parenting stress and positive parenting, and also examined whether this model varied as functions of three key contextualizing factors, including the number of children living in the household (i.e., one, two, or three), primary caregiver status (i.e., parents or grandparents), and living regions (i.e., urban, county, or rural). Overall, SES was found to be associated positively with child social competence via a negative association with parenting stress and a positive association with positive parenting; and patenting stress was also found to be negatively associated with positive parenting. Further, results of multi-group analyses indicated that: (a) across all contextualizing factor groups except for grandparent-headed families, parenting stress mediated the association between SES and social competence; (b) across all contextualizing factor groups except for the three-child families and the families living in the county areas, positive parenting served as a mediator between SES and social competence; and (c) SES was positively associated with social competence through parenting stress and positive parenting in one-child and two-child families, nuclear families, and urban and rural families, but not in three-child families, grandparent-headed families and county families. Our findings shed initial light on the understudied heterogeneity inherent within the link between SES and child socioemotional development in a Chinese cultural context, and also highlight some potential avenues for interventions aimed at promoting Chinese young children’ socioemotional development in low-SES family settings (i.e., intervening the parenting processes).

Grandparenting and Mortality: How Does Race-Ethnicity Matter?

Little is known about whether and how intergenerational relationships influence older adult mortality. This study examines the association between caring for grandchildren (i.e., grandparenting) and mortality and how the link differs by race-ethnicity. Drawing from the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2014, N = 13,705), I found different racial-ethnic patterns in the effects of grandparenting on mortality risk. White grandparents who provide intensive noncoresident grandparenting (i.e., over 500 hours of babysitting per two years) and multigenerational household grandparenting have a lower risk of mortality compared to noncaregiving grandparents. In contrast, black grandparents have a higher mortality risk than their noncaregiving counterparts when providing intensive noncoresident, multigenerational household, and skipped-generation household (i.e., grandparent-headed family) grandparenting. Caregiving Hispanic grandparents are not significantly different from their noncaregiving counterparts in mortality risk. These findings suggest that important variations in social and cultural contexts for racial-ethnic groups shape the consequences of grandparenting for older adult mortality.

MENTAL HEALTH OF GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN: UNDERSTANDING PREDICTORS OF GRANDPARENTS’ DEPRESSION

Grandparents raising grandchildren experience caregiving stress, negatively influencing their mental health. They experience limited social supports and suffer from a lack of respite care and community resources. The present study attempts to explore needs of grandparent-headed families and factors related to grandparents’ depression. In 2015-19, surveys with 92 custodial grandparents were conducted in the northeastern U.S. The respondents were primarily white (77%) and 62 years old on average (ranged from 44 through 84) at the time of the interviews. The depressive symptoms ranged from 1 through 45, with the score of 16+ indicating clinical depression (41%). Sixty-three percent of grandparents reported a household income below $40,000 and 40% of them rated their health as poor or fair. Ninety-five percent reported at least one or more concerns in raising their grandchild (i.e., financial concerns, legal issues, and physical health). A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the contributions of age, ethnicity, duration of care, factors related to multigenerational caregiving, social support from family members, social support from friends, and social support from significant others in accounting for grandparents’ depressive symptoms. The model explained 29% of variance in the outcome (R2=.290; adjusted R2=.231). Among the predictors, only one factor was significant: social support from family members (beta=-.352, p=.006). Grandparents with increased social support from family members have lower rates of depression. This finding reinforces the importance of familial support for grandparents raising grandchildren, and recommends the development of family-centered programs to offer support for custodial grandparents to promote caregivers’ well-being.

Meeting the Mathematics and Science Education Needs of Grandparent-Headed Families: Reflections on a School-University Partnership

In the United States, 2.7 million grandparents are raising their grandchildren (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014) due to family crises such as parent incarceration, death, substance and mental health issue...

An interdisciplinary family-centered program: An innovative approach to better meet the multifaceted needs of grandparent-headed families

ABSTRACTAn innovative interdisciplinary family-centered pilot program for grandparent-headed families was developed and evaluated by university faculty from social work, education, nursing, and physics using a community–university partnership model. This pilot study aims to explore the potential for an interdisciplinary family-centered program to address some of the multifaceted education, psychosocial, and physical health needs of grandparent-headed families. A qualitative evaluation of this pilot study reveals that an interdisciplinary family-centered program can be effective for increasing custodial grandparents’ feelings of self-efficacy around supporting their grandchildren’s education and understandings of the importance of self-care. Emerging findings from this pilot study suggest that an interdisciplinary family-centered program has the potential to offer innovative ways for addressing the multifaceted needs of grandparent-headed families while fostering new means for family and community engagement.

A Model for School Professionals Working with Grandparent-Headed Families.

Grandparent-headed families have multifaceted needs and complicated family contexts. These nontraditional families frequently have strained relationships with their grandchildren's school systems, but there are scarce models providing effective strategies for working with them. The author used multidisciplinary theoretical literature and research outcomes to propose a model for working with grandparent-headed families in schools. First, unique needs, risk factors, and school barriers these grandparent-headed families experience are put forward. In addition, school professionals' needs for practice guidelines for their work with grandparent-headed families are described. A model for working with grandparent-headed families is proposed, built on four theories: symbolic interactionism, attachment theory, role theory, and the strengths-based approach. Implications for teaching, practice, and programming for grandparent-headed families in schools are presented.