Children raised by their grandparents are a steadily growing demographic in schools throughout the United States. When parents are unable to care for their children, grandparents sometimes assume the role of primary caregiver. This is especially true when they are faced with the threat of placing their grandchildren in the foster care system. More often than not, these grandparents are not adequately prepared for the challenges of raising children who have lost their parent through death, drug abuse or incarceration and few resources exist to guide elementary school principals to engage this demographic. Regardless of the growing numbers of caregiving grandparents there exists a dearth of research and literature to guide school leaders in effectively engaging these grandparents in school involvement. The purpose of this study was to understand principals’ experiences with grandparents raising grandchildren (GRG), to discover grandparent’s experiences and perspectives on their own experiences in their grandchildren’s schools, and finally, construct theory on how elementary principals create and nurture positive and productive relationships with grandparents raising grandchildren. Analysis of date contributed to the development of propositions that reflect study findings. These propositions contributed to the development of a framework toward theory: Although principals were cognizant of the challenges GRG face, this knowledge did not influence their leadership. As a result, their leadership practices created school environments in which GRGs were effectively engaged in two-way communication but limited decision-making. Furthermore, the schools did not provide a bridge to resources to meet many of the challenges GRG and their families faced.

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.

The purpose of this study was to explore the following relationships: (a) how moderating factors (gender, age, ethnicity, social support, marital status, reason for role assumption and number of grandchildren in the home) can influence the mediating role of resiliency, and (b) how resiliency may mediate the negative effects of raising grandchildren (role demands, life disruptions, and difficulties with grandchildren) on grandparent adjustment over time. Resiliency was hypothesized to have the greatest effect on custodial grandparents who experienced the most stress (i.e., older, single, Caucasian males lacking social support and raising more than one grandchild). Mediation was assessed using structural equation modeling. Results indicated resilience mediated the relationship between role assumptions (i.e., role demands and life disruptions) and grandparent adjustment; however, resilience did not mediate the relationship between grandchild characteristics and grandparent adjustment. Due to the small number of custodial grandfathers (n = 14), non-married grandparents (n = 29), non-Caucasian grandparents (n = 10), the small number of grandparents who assumed the custodial role for less ambiguous reasons (n = 24), and the number of custodial grandparents with more than one grandchild residing in the home (n = 29) participating within the study, hierarchical multiple regressions were only conducted to test for moderated mediation for perceived social support and the age of the grandparent. Results indicated resilience mediates the relationship between life disruption and grandparent well-being for younger custodial grandparents and for custodial grandparents with perceived high social support.

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Grandfamilies, or families in which grandparents are raising their grandchildren, often form due to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) experienced by the grandchildren. ACEs have been linked to multiple negative short- and long-term behavioral and emotional consequences for children. Yet, having an ACE history does not guarantee negative outcomes, as protective factors such as positive relationships with a safe and caring adult, healthy family functioning, and utilization of formal services can mitigate the negative effects of ACEs. Researchers have regularly called on families to seek timely intervention and services for ACEs; however, many grandparents raising grandchildren report negative interactions with service providers as well as service delivery. Limited research has explored the extent to which grandfamilies with ACEs may have experienced similar interactions while seeking and using formal services. Guided by Andersen's (1995) Behavioral Model of Health Service Use, this qualitative study sought to explore (1) the service needs of grandchildren with an ACE history who are being raised by their grandparents; (2) the service needs of grandparents raising grandchildren with an ACE history; (3) the process of seeking services when grandparents raising a grandchild with an ACE history look for services for their grandchild; and (4) best practices for delivering services to grandfamilies with an ACE history. The research questions were primarily addressed through via interviewing 10 grandparents from Central Appalachia who were raising a grandchild with an ACE history and by conducting two focus groups of 8 to 12 formal service providers with experience working with grandparents raising grandchildren with an ACE history. Interview data were analyzed using grounded theory and focus group data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Study findings indicated that grandchildren have emotional and developmental needs. Grandparents described needs related to the emotional impact of raising a grandchild with an ACE history, family and parent involvement, and parenting a grandchild with an ACE history. Study results also highlighted how grandparents can expect to encounter barriers throughout the service seeking and delivery process. Study results also highlighted the critical nature of having a strong relationship with a service provider and the importance of a service provider reducing barriers, being attentive to grandfamily needs, and involving the grandparent in the treatment process. Finally, results from the focus groups revealed best practices such as providing grandparents with education on ACEs, being aware of intergenerational ACE cycles, and engaging in assessment and intervention when working with this population. Implications for clinical practice as well as directions for future research are discussed. / Doctor of Philosophy / Historically, grandparents have long been called upon to assist with caring for their grandchildren. In the last forty years, grandparents have increasingly shifted to a new role—that of parent. Grandfamilies are commonly created due to adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, which can include child abuse, child neglect, or household challenges such as parental substance abuse or parental incarceration. Experiencing ACEs does not guarantee negative outcomes in a child's life, but their presence and number can affect it, particularly when a child has experienced numerous ACEs. Professional services or treatment are one way to support these children. However, negative interactions with service providers or unfulfilled expectations with service delivery can dissuade grandparents from continuing services. This study sought to understand how grandparents raising a grandchild with an ACE history identify the grandchild's needs, come to the realization that their grandchild needs professional help, the process and experience of receiving that professional help, as well as what happened after the grandchild received professional services. After interviewing 10 grandparents raising a grandchild with an ACE history, study findings revealed how grandparents identify grandchild needs, and then manage those needs as well as grandchild behaviors. Study findings also illustrated a recursive relationship between grandparents managing grandchild needs and building a relationship of trust with the formal service provider once services have started. Building a relationship of trust with a formal service provider can then result in creating change or the grandparent deciding to end services. Finally, grandparent interview data revealed that throughout the entire process of service seeking, grandparents raising a grandchild with an ACE history commonly experience barriers hindering their access to services including personal, availability, and systemic barriers. Finally, the study sought to understand best practices for working with grandparents raising grandchildren with an ACE history, which include assessing for and creating interventions targeting ACEs, providing education on ACEs to grandparents, and being aware of intergenerational ACE cycles with these families. Strategies for clinical practice are also identified.

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.