GRANDMOTHERS WHO PARENT--FAMILY RELATIONS AND WELL-BEING

California State University Long Beach, Long Beach CA

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (adapted from investigator's abstract): The proposed study examines grandparent-headed households in which grandchildren are being raised. The study focuses on systems components: intergenerational triads and dyads, the family relationship to wider community systems, and ethnic and cultural variations. Grandparent-headed households represent a new and increasingly prevalent family form, which has been used to help the middle parental generation economically, or to provide for grandchildren when parents are abusive or unable to care for their children. The study focuses on the grandmother as primary care giver, and her descriptions of family relationships. There are four specific objectives: first, intergenerational triad types based on emotional closeness will be examined in relationship to grandmother well-being. It is hypothesized that the grandmothers will have higher well-being when they are part of cohesive intergenerational triads or occupy a mediating role between generations: and lower well-being when grandchildren occupy a mediating role which may undermine the grandmother's authority and is developmentally unsuitable. Second, the study looks at intergenerational dyad relationships in relation to grandmother well-being and hypothesizes that close relationships between grandmother and grandchild will buffer loss experienced in circumstances in which the middle-generation parent is dysfunctional or in conflict with the grandmother. Third, the study examines family relations separately for three ethnic groups: African American, Hispanic American, and non-Hispanic Whites. Fourth, the study looks at the family interface with community resources in relationship to grandmother well-being, and examines resource utilization. Community resources will include use of formal social services, informal support, and church help: it is hypothesized that use of formal and informal resources will buffer the ill effects of family distress. A sample of 1050 subjects will be developed through the school system and interviewed, 350 from each ethnic group. The study opens a new area of family systems theory by using the triad as a unit of analysis, and provides a view of optimal grandmother well-being in a little researched area.