Family Diversity: Grandparent-headed Families

Grandparent headed families stats

(2015) 7.3 millions GP had GC living with them

2.6 million Grandparent caregivers (36%)

1.6 million GM, 1.0 million GF

5.9 million GC living in home (8% of all children)

Nearly half, under 6

Three generation (coparenting)

grandparents, adult children, grandchildren (financial difficulty, illness, divorce, adolescent childbearing

Skipped genration

grandparents and grandchildren only (parents incarceration, death, mental illness, child neglect, military deployment

Demograhpics

diverse- some experience negative outcomes, many are resilient

Gender- women

age- majority under 65

Race- 51% W, 24% AA, 19% H, 3% Asian

AA and H more likely (whites) caring for grandchildren

more likely living n poverty (18% vs 9%)

More than 1/3 still in labor force

Own home

Caregiving responsibilities

co parenting vs sole/major responsibilty

legal authority vs. informally

guard ship, legal custody

Timing

Suddenly vs gradually

ABC-X model of Family Stress/crisis

Resources & perception—> outcomes (amt. stress vs. crsis)

Trends

Poverty, military deployment, teen pregnancy, parental incarceration, divorce, death, child abuse

Difficulties

health (pre existing vs declining health

• diabetes, hypertension, insomnia

• 675,000 disability (of 2.7 million, 1/4)

• lower satisfaction

Emotional- grief (loss), disappointment, resentment, taken advantage of by children

mental- depression (2x likely)

Social isolation - lonely, stigma

financial problems

legal problems

benefits

greater purpose for living

useful and productive

feel young and active

second chance to raise child differently

ability to maintain family’s identity

close relationship w grandchildren

Grandmother- grandchild relationship

role ambiguity

generation gap

grief

divided loyalties

Grandmother- parent relationship

Role reversal

shared responsibilities

conflict

Ambiguous loss (2 types)

incongruence between phsycial and pshycological emotional presence/ absence

skipped generational families

exlempify caregiver careers

added caregiving responsibilities impact caregivers employment and produce stress

can produce rewards for caregiver

Developmentally off time families

may experience role overload and stress

personal development may be hindered

Behavior problems

teachers perceive more emotional and behavioral problems

caregivers report more conduct and hyperactivity

Academic preformance

comparable to single parent and stepfamilies

caregiver perceptions- perceived as less successful, more likely to repeat a grade

Health

Comparable - 2 parent

Social adaption

More problematic peer interactions

less prosocial behaviors

higher risk factors for reoffending- juvenile delinquency

needs of grandparents

informational/educational needs (child development, parenting)

Supportive needs (support groups, counseling)

Financial/legal needs (advocacy, increased income opportunities)

Paradox of social support

Provider- negative and positive effects (positive- self esteem, mood, longevity, negative- cognitive and pshyical decline, greater mortality)

Better functioning over time, closeness and intimacy, increased distress

WHY? threats to self esteem, mismatched support, lack of equity

GP caregiver resilience

some grandparent headed families will be more resilient

resourcefulness

abulity to apprase situation potiiviely

feel empowered

coping styles (active vs avoiding)

psychological well being