While a handful of studies touch on the topic of hope and grandparent-grandchild (GPGC) relationship, none have made this subject the main object of inquiry. The purpose of this investigation was to explore how hope is reciprocated in extraordinary GP-GC relationships. Using a qualitative multiple case study design, three grandmother and adult granddaughter pairs were interviewed separately and were later observed engaging in a joint creative project. Nurturing, sharing and inspiring emerged as characteristics of grandmother-granddaughter relationships that were connected to hope. In addition, findings indicated that each member of the grandmother-granddaughter dyad helped the other envision a hopeful future. Grandmothers acted as hope models for their granddaughters. Reciprocally, granddaughters inspired their grandmothers to live longer by giving them hope for the future. While findings suggest that the GP-GC relationship holds potential for the intergenerational transfer of hope, future research is needed to further understand this process.

This qualitative study describes the meaning of the experience of loss for four child participants following the death of a grandparent. Using both descriptiveexploratory methodology and human becoming theory as the framework, the findings are presented in three themes. Related to meaning of the experience of loss, the theme in the children's language is, sadness deepens with awareness of the permanence of death. Related to how relationships unfold following the loss of a grandparent the theme is, time spent doing things and with others provides memories. The final theme is related to hopes and desires the children had following the death of their grandparent, that theme is wishes to undo the past mingle with ongoing relating with one who has died. Practice implications and directions for further research are discussed in light of study findings.

The growth of grandparent caregivers has significantly increased in recent years, and therefore, more research is needed in this area. This particular qualitative study explored the feelings and experiences of permanent grandparent caregivers between the ages of 58 and 71. Data was collected using a semi structured interview format from four separate couple grandparents and one single grandmother. Although the study was limited due to the small sample size, the findings showed that despite some rewards, grandparent caregivers experienced a number of emotional issues. In analyzing the written transcripts, several themes emerged, included: feelings of loss; anger and frustration, disappointment and guilt; fears and concerns; isolation and lack of supports and, positive aspects. There were also several variations on these themes. The need for grandparent caregivers to be able to access services, and especially support groups for themselves, was evident.

No description available.

While many studies have investigated grandparenthood from the point of view of the grandparent, few have considered this issue from the perspective of the grandchild. In this respect, a number of variables (i.e., grandchild age and gender, parents' marital status, and grandparents' age, gender, education, kinship position, residential proximity to and frequency of visiting with grandchildren, perceived influence on the grandchild, style of grandparenting, and relationship with the parents) were investigated as determinants of the quality of the grandparent-grandchild relationship in a sample of 171 adolescents and young adults. It was found that different sets of variables operated for different grandparents to predict the quality of their relationships with grandchildren.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2003. / Advisor: Carolyn J. Rosenthal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 218-226). Also available via World Wide Web.

The general purpose of the present study was to ascertain if particular characteristics of mentally retarded children are associated with progress in terms of intellectual and social competence traits after inclusion in an experimental therapeutic program such as the Foster Grandparent Project.

This descriptive study of 45 multi-generational families contributes empirical knowledge about grandparent-grandchild relationships. A questionnaire was developed and completed by 74 subjects who were part of a randomly selected sample taken from a tax roll of homeowners over age 65 in Denton County, Texas. The responses provide information which expands the existing data base in the area of grandparenting. The study pinpoints areas in the grandparenting literature which need refinement and contributes data to those areas, rather than producing a set of conclusions. Areas as yet undocumented or inadequately documented in the literature are identified as the following: (a) family structural composition; (b) grandparents' personal characteristics; (c) selected aspects of grandparent-grandchild contact; and (d) satisfaction with the grandparent role. Data for these areas should help reveal factors having an impact on grandparent-grandchild relationships. A base for further investigation in these areas is established, and data are also analyzed to determine satisfaction or lack of satisfaction with grandparenting. The seventy-four subjects, from 45 households, included 44 grandmothers and 30 grandfathers. The number of generations per family was used as the base to report the findings. The study substantiates other research on grandparenting, particularly in the area of timing of grand-parenthood. Data collected in this study support the view that the grandparent's chronological age and the time in his or her life cycle when grandchildren appear (role entry), religious affiliation, lineage, and frequency of contact all contribute to satisfaction with the role of grandparent. Almost all of the respondents described themselves as satisfied grandparents and indicated their pride in and pleasure derived from their grandchildren. A strong relationship between satisfaction and any one variable studied is not identified. The major contribution of the study lies in the descriptive detail and in ruling out any one characteristic as "the one variable" that really matters in determining satisfaction among grandparents.

Care for old people is a particular concern in ageing societies. In Taiwan, traditional collective cultures encourage collective practice, including informal family care of elderly people. However, social change is modifying traditional values and behaviours, leading some commentators identify a western style of individualism on this change. This thesis explores how Taiwanese young adult grandchildren and their grandparents interpret ’collectivism’ and ‘individualism’ and think about or draw on these value systems in familial interactions. This was achieved through in-depth individual interviews with 20 pairs of college-aged grandchildren and their grandparents living in different locations and family households. The research questions mainly focus on three areas. Firstly, how perceptions of the role, and the attached expectations of being a grandchild construct contemporary grandchildren’s understandings of their orientations to their families. Secondly, how grandchildren interpret traditional and what they understand imported individualistic value systems and how these operate on personal and family lives. Lastly, how the two generations, grandparents and grandchildren, perceive transformation of Taiwanese society and family, particularly their views of the effects of domestic-demographics and wider structural changes on the grandparent-grandchild relationship over time. How grandchildren viewed collectivism and individualism and reported their behaviours towards the grandparent generation was both as expected in terms of the results of previous research and contained some unexpected outcomes. According to the interviewees, being more individualistic is responsible for causing distance between family members, whereas possessing more collective perspectives encourages more communal considerations for common benefit. However, grandchild informants acknowledged benefits of individualistic concepts and use them to rationalise intergenerational flows that do not follow tradition, arguing that personal considerations themselves are able to contribute more collective practices. Interestingly, the expressed views of the grandchild generation reverse commonly perceived negative impacts of individualistic concepts on collective interests. Critically, the youth in Taiwan still regards themselves as being primarily guided by collective-based doctrines, by indicating how traditional Chinese values are still prioritised. Meanwhile, the concepts of individualism are placed as complementary principles by the grandchildren, although they and their grandparents had identified some negative effects of individualistic-led tendencies in their society and families.

Little research is currently available on child care arrangements involving grandparents, at a time of significant change within the child care sector. This study explored the experiences of grandparents providing regular care of their grandchildren prior to school entry. It used narrative inquiry, a qualitative research methodology to investigate the nature of their care experiences from the perspective of grandparent carers. Narrative tests were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 17 grandparents from a range of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds across Sydney and in south-west NSW, Australia. The active engagement of grandparents in the preparation of interpretive tests enabled significant depth of meaning to be discovered within grandparents' stories. The study revealed the grandparents held contrasting views in relation to their care experience. They gained significant meaning from building strong bonds with grandchildren, while also experiencing loss of autonomy, physical tiredness, and in some cases, family tension. The study found grandparent careers were not a homogenous group and identified four carer clusters grouped around grandparents' perspectives on family contribution, care obligations and personal independence. The study points to the importance of grandparents having choice in care decisions and the need to establish arrangements with adult children that are true care partnerships. / Doctor of Philosphy (PhD)