Using a grounded theory approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1990), this study produced a conceptual framework for exploring the relationships between grandmothers and the grandchildren they are raising. Twenty-one grandmothers and grandchildren were engaged in in-depth interviews. grandmothers had legal custody of the participating grandchildren for at least the last six months. Grandchildren were between the ages of 7 and 14. Data were analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and selected coding. Four of the seven grandmothers were found to have a similar pattern due in large part to their daughters having a long history of drug addiction. These four grandmothers are the focus of the model. The remaining three grandmothers have dissimilar situations, but support the model as well. The study proposed a three-phase model of the relationships. These phases included: rescuer/protector, caregiver/provider, and mother/advocate. The model described movement from each phase through contextual conditions. The mother/advocate phase became the most developed phase of the model. Eight strategies used by the grandmothers to manage the mother/advocate phase are proposed. In addition, seven intervening conditions were identified that either constrain or enhance the strategies.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O presente estudo aborda pesquisa realizada com avós que cuidam de netos. O objetivo principal foi entender as considerações dos avós quando lhes são atribuídas a tarefa de cuidar dos netos cujos pais trabalham fora. Para a investigação foi utilizado o procedimento metodológico de grupos focais, precedido de levantamento bibliográfico sobre a temática. O conteúdo teórico explora temas relacionados às mudanças na família contemporânea, às influências das relações intergeracionais e o comportamento dos avós nos dias atuais e em sociedades ocidentais. Nessa temática, a discussão sobre o pensamento de alguns autores sustentou as reflexões alcançadas a partir dos resultados obtidos dos encontros dos grupos focais. Foram realizados dois grupos focais com avós que cuidam de netos nas cidades do Rio de Janeiro e de Niterói. Nos quatro encontros realizados, as avós participantes relataram e debateram temas e situações relacionadas às suas vivências com os netos, trocando experiências e impressões. Os dados obtidos foram tratados por meio da análise de conteúdo e apresentados em categorias elaboradas a partir do referencial teórico estudado. Os resultados alcançados sugerem dificuldades das avós em lidar com a atribuição de cuidar dos netos. Ao final dos encontros, as próprias participantes chegaram à conclusão de que cada uma deve encontrar a melhor forma de ser avó na contemporaneidade, conciliando desenvolvimento pessoal e bom relacionamento familiar. Observaram-se nos grupos as dificuldades das avós ao tratar essa temática nas relações sociais. Evidenciou-se que em países como o Brasil não há políticas públicas suficientes para conduzir as transformações contemporâneas no grupo familiar. Destacou-se também que o oferecimento de grupo focal às avós que cuidam de netos permitiu, além da coleta de dados, a possibilidade da técnica ser um recurso disponível às avós. Ficou evidente que essa técnica auxiliou as participantes a expressarem suas opiniões e promoveu a autoreflexão entre elas. Por fim, o estudo indica a necessidade de se oferecer às avós que cuidam de netos, por meio de políticas públicas ou ações sociais, condições para que possam exercer uma interação com os netos de forma mais lúdica, pautada em valores que as próprias avós consideram primordial na relação com as crianças. / The study examines survey of grandparents caring for grandchildren. The main objective was to understand the considerations of the grandparents when they are assigned the task of caring for grandchildren whose parents work outside. For research we used the methodological approach of focus groups, preceded by the bibliographical survey on the topic. The theoretical content explores themes related to changes in contemporary family, the effects of intergenerational relationships and behavior of grandparents today and in Western societies. On this theme, the discussion about the thought of some authors argued reflections reached from the results obtained with the focus group meetings. Two focus groups were conducted with grandparents caring for grandchildren in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi. In the four meetings grandmothers participants reported and discussed issues and situations related to their experiences with their grandchildren, exchanging experiences and impressions. The data were processed through the content analysis and presented in categories drawn from the theoretical study. The results suggest the grandparents difficulties in dealing with the allocation of caring for grandchildren. At the end of the meetings the participants themselves come to the conclusion that each one must find the best way to be a grandmother in the contemporary, combining personal development and good family relationships. It was observed in groups of grandmothers difficulties in dealing with this topic in social relations. It was evident that in countries like Brazil there is no public policy sufficient to drive the contemporary changes in family group. Also notable was that providing a focus group to grandparents caring for grandchildren has allowed, in addition to data collection, the possibility of being a technical resource available to grandparents. It was evident that this technique helped the participants to express their opinions and encouraged self-reflection among them. Finally, the study indicates the need to provide grandparents caring for grandchildren, through public policies and social actions, which conditions they may have an interaction with their grandchildren in a more playful, based on values that their own grandparents consider paramount in the relationship with the children.

Sabe-se que a longevidade humana tem propiciado o aprofundamento e a intensidade do contato entre as gerações. Em nenhuma outra época, as gerações de uma mesma família puderam conviver juntas por tanto tempo como na atualidade. Importa realizar investigações acerca da influência exercida pelos avós na vida dos netos, pois a literatura pouco tem se detido nessa fase do ciclo vital. A presente pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa, objetivou investigar a percepção dos vínculos e relacionamento entre netos adultos e seus avós, sendo eles de vinculação paterna ou materna, buscando analisar como se deu este relacionamento ao longo do tempo, influências, frequência de contato e dificuldades encontradas. Os dados coletados resultaram de entrevistas semidirigidas com 14 netos adultos, sendo 6 participantes do sexo masculino e 8 participantes do sexo feminino. As variáveis sociodemográficas caracterizaram os entrevistados como sendo casados, com escolaridade superior, ou superior incompleto, de classe média e tendo entre 21 e 40 anos. As entrevistas foram analisadas de acordo com a técnica da análise de Conteúdo Temática. Os resultados evidenciaram que: 1) os netos à unanimidade, disseram que os avós foram e continuam sendo pessoas muito significativas em sua vida; 2) os avós influenciaram os netos em vários aspectos de sua vida (profissional, religioso, moral, emocional e psicossocial); 3) o relacionamento, em geral, foi percebido como muito bom, a depender da participação e do incentivo da geração dos pais; 4) os participantes realizaram e ainda realizam várias atividades com os avós, sendo o contato entre essas gerações bastante frequente; 5) as dificuldades no relacionamento com os avós estão relacionadas a conflitos existentes entre avós e pais, distância geográfica e envolvimento dos netos no seu próprio processo desenvolvimental; 6) as características mais marcantes transmitidas pelos avós ligam-se a traços de personalidade, momentos de lazer e cuidado, troca de experiência. Espera-se que esta pesquisa possa contribuir com a literatura sobre relacionamento intergeracional e que ofereça subsídios aos profissionais que se dedicam à temática do envelhecimento e da família.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O presente estudo aborda pesquisa realizada com avós que cuidam de netos. O objetivo principal foi entender as considerações dos avós quando lhes são atribuídas a tarefa de cuidar dos netos cujos pais trabalham fora. Para a investigação foi utilizado o procedimento metodológico de grupos focais, precedido de levantamento bibliográfico sobre a temática. O conteúdo teórico explora temas relacionados às mudanças na família contemporânea, às influências das relações intergeracionais e o comportamento dos avós nos dias atuais e em sociedades ocidentais. Nessa temática, a discussão sobre o pensamento de alguns autores sustentou as reflexões alcançadas a partir dos resultados obtidos dos encontros dos grupos focais. Foram realizados dois grupos focais com avós que cuidam de netos nas cidades do Rio de Janeiro e de Niterói. Nos quatro encontros realizados, as avós participantes relataram e debateram temas e situações relacionadas às suas vivências com os netos, trocando experiências e impressões. Os dados obtidos foram tratados por meio da análise de conteúdo e apresentados em categorias elaboradas a partir do referencial teórico estudado. Os resultados alcançados sugerem dificuldades das avós em lidar com a atribuição de cuidar dos netos. Ao final dos encontros, as próprias participantes chegaram à conclusão de que cada uma deve encontrar a melhor forma de ser avó na contemporaneidade, conciliando desenvolvimento pessoal e bom relacionamento familiar. Observaram-se nos grupos as dificuldades das avós ao tratar essa temática nas relações sociais. Evidenciou-se que em países como o Brasil não há políticas públicas suficientes para conduzir as transformações contemporâneas no grupo familiar. Destacou-se também que o oferecimento de grupo focal às avós que cuidam de netos permitiu, além da coleta de dados, a possibilidade da técnica ser um recurso disponível às avós. Ficou evidente que essa técnica auxiliou as participantes a expressarem suas opiniões e promoveu a autoreflexão entre elas. Por fim, o estudo indica a necessidade de se oferecer às avós que cuidam de netos, por meio de políticas públicas ou ações sociais, condições para que possam exercer uma interação com os netos de forma mais lúdica, pautada em valores que as próprias avós consideram primordial na relação com as crianças. / The study examines survey of grandparents caring for grandchildren. The main objective was to understand the considerations of the grandparents when they are assigned the task of caring for grandchildren whose parents work outside. For research we used the methodological approach of focus groups, preceded by the bibliographical survey on the topic. The theoretical content explores themes related to changes in contemporary family, the effects of intergenerational relationships and behavior of grandparents today and in Western societies. On this theme, the discussion about the thought of some authors argued reflections reached from the results obtained with the focus group meetings. Two focus groups were conducted with grandparents caring for grandchildren in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi. In the four meetings grandmothers participants reported and discussed issues and situations related to their experiences with their grandchildren, exchanging experiences and impressions. The data were processed through the content analysis and presented in categories drawn from the theoretical study. The results suggest the grandparents difficulties in dealing with the allocation of caring for grandchildren. At the end of the meetings the participants themselves come to the conclusion that each one must find the best way to be a grandmother in the contemporary, combining personal development and good family relationships. It was observed in groups of grandmothers difficulties in dealing with this topic in social relations. It was evident that in countries like Brazil there is no public policy sufficient to drive the contemporary changes in family group. Also notable was that providing a focus group to grandparents caring for grandchildren has allowed, in addition to data collection, the possibility of being a technical resource available to grandparents. It was evident that this technique helped the participants to express their opinions and encouraged self-reflection among them. Finally, the study indicates the need to provide grandparents caring for grandchildren, through public policies and social actions, which conditions they may have an interaction with their grandchildren in a more playful, based on values that their own grandparents consider paramount in the relationship with the children.

No description available.

No description available.

Master of Science / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Melinda Markham / The number of grandparents who are taking over the responsibility of raising their grandchildren is increasing over time. Despite society’s reliance on them, society is failing to meet the needs of these families. Grandparents consistently lack the necessary resources that could reduce and minimize their stress in what is usually an unexpected family situation. Family Life Education has failed to meet the needs of grandfamilies. Using Family Stress Theory as a theoretical framework, this study asked the question How can Family Life Education be used as a resource for grandparents raising grandchildren to avoid crisis? Focus groups and individual interviews were used to gather qualitative data from grandparents who are currently raising their grandchildren near a midwestern university. Findings suggest grandparents raising grandchildren could benefit from education regarding finding resources and answers to questions as they navigate the many systems they are involved with, communicating and guiding their grandchildren, balancing and maintaining the shifting family dynamics and changing family relationships, information regarding the growth and development of children across the lifespan, and education regarding content that is unique to their family situation. However there are multiple barriers that participants identified toward the utilization of FLE. Ultimately, there is a lack of collaboration among services for grandparents raising grandchildren and they lack support that could potentially come from support groups. Impact and implications for practice, research and policy were discussed. Strengths and limitations of the study were also presented.

In many Western societies grandparents take on the role of occasional or short-term care providers of their grandchildren. However, recent years have witnessed a significant increase, both in Australia and overseas, in the number of children being raised by their grandparents due to the inability of the children’s parents to effectively meet their parenting responsibilities.This study is an interpretive inquiry that seeks to understand the meanings grandparents attach to their experiences of the grandparent-as-parent role, rather than the traditional grandparent role. The study also investigates how assuming the non-traditional grandparent role has influenced the identity of grandparent caregivers. A narrative inquiry approach was employed to ‘hear the voices’ of 34 grandparents who were raising their grandchildren in NSW, Australia. In-depth interviews were conducted with each of the participants and their narratives were subsequently analysed through the lens of identity theory.Findings from the study reveal that grandparents experience a significant degree of roleidentity conflict in their grandparent-as-parent role. The loss of their traditional grandparent role, together with the shift in commitment to the grandparent-as-parent role, has resulted in a ‘space of difference’ between the ‘ideal’ and the ‘real’ of being a grandparent. This ‘space of difference’ is made up of a series of binary experiences described as myth/reality, visible/invisible, deserving/undeserving, voice/silenced, included/excluded, which appear to have consequentially impacted grandparents’ selfesteem and self-verification processes. The study posits that grandparents lack adequate support, or doulia, resulting in a prevailing belief that their commitment to the grandparentas- parent role is not publicly acknowledged nor afforded the justice it deserves.The study concludes that both policy and practice in NSW have failed to recognise and address the complexity of experience, or the ‘space of difference’ occupied by grandparents who are raising their grandchildren, and provides a number of recommendations in response to the grandparent experiences narrated through this research.

In many Western societies grandparents take on the role of occasional or short-term care providers of their grandchildren. However, recent years have witnessed a significant increase, both in Australia and overseas, in the number of children being raised by their grandparents due to the inability of the children’s parents to effectively meet their parenting responsibilities.This study is an interpretive inquiry that seeks to understand the meanings grandparents attach to their experiences of the grandparent-as-parent role, rather than the traditional grandparent role. The study also investigates how assuming the non-traditional grandparent role has influenced the identity of grandparent caregivers. A narrative inquiry approach was employed to ‘hear the voices’ of 34 grandparents who were raising their grandchildren in NSW, Australia. In-depth interviews were conducted with each of the participants and their narratives were subsequently analysed through the lens of identity theory.Findings from the study reveal that grandparents experience a significant degree of roleidentity conflict in their grandparent-as-parent role. The loss of their traditional grandparent role, together with the shift in commitment to the grandparent-as-parent role, has resulted in a ‘space of difference’ between the ‘ideal’ and the ‘real’ of being a grandparent. This ‘space of difference’ is made up of a series of binary experiences described as myth/reality, visible/invisible, deserving/undeserving, voice/silenced, included/excluded, which appear to have consequentially impacted grandparents’ selfesteem and self-verification processes. The study posits that grandparents lack adequate support, or doulia, resulting in a prevailing belief that their commitment to the grandparentas- parent role is not publicly acknowledged nor afforded the justice it deserves.The study concludes that both policy and practice in NSW have failed to recognise and address the complexity of experience, or the ‘space of difference’ occupied by grandparents who are raising their grandchildren, and provides a number of recommendations in response to the grandparent experiences narrated through this research.

In many Western societies grandparents take on the role of occasional or short-term care providers of their grandchildren. However, recent years have witnessed a significant increase, both in Australia and overseas, in the number of children being raised by their grandparents due to the inability of the children’s parents to effectively meet their parenting responsibilities.This study is an interpretive inquiry that seeks to understand the meanings grandparents attach to their experiences of the grandparent-as-parent role, rather than the traditional grandparent role. The study also investigates how assuming the non-traditional grandparent role has influenced the identity of grandparent caregivers. A narrative inquiry approach was employed to ‘hear the voices’ of 34 grandparents who were raising their grandchildren in NSW, Australia. In-depth interviews were conducted with each of the participants and their narratives were subsequently analysed through the lens of identity theory.Findings from the study reveal that grandparents experience a significant degree of roleidentity conflict in their grandparent-as-parent role. The loss of their traditional grandparent role, together with the shift in commitment to the grandparent-as-parent role, has resulted in a ‘space of difference’ between the ‘ideal’ and the ‘real’ of being a grandparent. This ‘space of difference’ is made up of a series of binary experiences described as myth/reality, visible/invisible, deserving/undeserving, voice/silenced, included/excluded, which appear to have consequentially impacted grandparents’ selfesteem and self-verification processes. The study posits that grandparents lack adequate support, or doulia, resulting in a prevailing belief that their commitment to the grandparentas- parent role is not publicly acknowledged nor afforded the justice it deserves.The study concludes that both policy and practice in NSW have failed to recognise and address the complexity of experience, or the ‘space of difference’ occupied by grandparents who are raising their grandchildren, and provides a number of recommendations in response to the grandparent experiences narrated through this research.