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Grandparent-Grandchild Attachment as a Predictor of Psychological Adjustment among Youth from Divorced Families

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Grandparent-headed families are diverse in nature and represent a rapidly growing family type. While challenges facing grandparent caregivers are well documented, less is known about the well-being of their grandchildren, with many early studies relying on small samples of convenience. This study used an existing large national database, the National Survey of America's Families (NSAF), to compare differences in well-being of both children and grandparent caregivers across the independent variables of family type, ethnicity, gender, and age. Findings suggested better mental health and less parental aggravation for caregivers in traditional two parent intact families as compared to grandparents co-parenting in a multi-generation home, skipped generation grandparents (raising their grandchild with no parent present) or single parents. Skipped generation grandparents in particular reported most caregiver aggravation. Child physical health was reported to be worse by skipped generation grandparent caregivers. Behavior problems were reported to be worse for children in grandparent headed households than those in traditional families, particularly for teenagers raised in skipped generation households by their grandmothers. Specific results, limitations and future directions for research on grandparent-headed households were discussed.

M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

AN ANALYSIS OF THE PRACTICES AND PERCEIVED ROLES OF AMERICAN GRANDPARENTS AMONG EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS Joshua Robert Mulvihill, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016 Chair: Dr. Timothy Paul Jones The purpose of this study was to provide a portrait of grandparenting from the Bible and analyze the place and purpose of grandparents in American society based on a synthesis of research literature. The second purpose of the study utilized semi-structured interviews to determine the perceived roles and accompanying practices of grandparents in evangelical contexts. The biblical study of grandparenthood revealed six themes that inform the role and responsibility of grandparenthood to pass on a godly heritage of faith. The semi-structured interviews suggest that evangelical grandparents gravitate to one of four different roles with their grandchild: encouraging voice, supportive partner, loving friend, or disciple-maker. The interviews also revealed eight disciple-making practices that intentional grandparents utilize with grandchildren. The research uncovered three problems that exist in the family ministry world. First, evangelical churches have a limited emphasis on equipping grandparents to pass faith on to future generations. Second, high numbers of evangelical grandparents are not intentionally or significantly investing in the spiritual life of their grandchildren and do not have a clear understanding of their role as a grandparent. Third, limited resources are available to encourage and equip grandparents who profess evangelical faith to accomplish their God-given role in the church and home. As a result, the potential contribution of this research is significant as evangelical Christians have been greatly influenced by American society, are often marginalized by family and church, confused about their role as grandparents, and resigned to minimal spiritual impact in their grandchild’s life. The results of this research provide an overview of grandparenting according to the Bible, summarize society’s understanding of the role of grandparents, and suggest eight spiritual practices that will help grandparents embrace multigenerational discipleship and pass faith on to future generations. Pastors and grandparents need a renewed biblical vision regarding the biblical role and disciple-making practices of grandparents and this research project will help toward that end. KEYWORDS: biblical role, Bible, Christian education, church and home, discipleship, disciple maker, encouraging voice, equipping grandparents, evangelical grandparents, Evangelical Free Church of America, family ministry, future generations, godly heritage, grandchildren, grandparents, intentional grandparents, loving friend, multigenerational discipleship, resources, responsibility of grandparents, role of grandparents, supportive partner.

Despite the distance that often separates grandparents from their young adult grandchildren, the abundance of new technologies provides numerous means of connection for the grandparent-grandchild (GP-GC) dyad. The purpose of this study was to understand how grandparents use technology, namely text messaging and Facebook, in relationships with their young adult grandchildren. Specifically, the aim was to understand grandparents' purposes for using these technologies with their grandchildren, their motivations for using these technologies, and their perceptions of these technologies. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 grandparent participants and analyzed according to the procedures delineated in grounded theory analysis. Both text messaging and Facebook emerged as important tools for connection, as text messaging encourages more frequent communication and Facebook helps grandparents "fill in the gaps" about their grandchildren's lives. Furthermore, results indicated that grandparents' uses of text messaging, and to a lesser extent Facebook, are acts of accommodation to their grandchildren.

This cross-sectional study compared three groups of grandparents, two custodial and one noncustodial, to identify and delineate the unique challenges and expectations faced by custodial grandparents due to their nontraditional roles while attempting to disentangle grandparental role demands from child-specific problems as sources of distress. Those grandparents raising grandchildren demonstrating neurological, physical, emotional, or behavioral problems exhibited the most distress, the most disruption of roles, and the most deteriorated grandparent-grandchild relationships. Although the custodial grandparents raising apparently normal grandchildren demonstrated less distress, less disruption of roles, and less deterioration of the grandparent-grandchild relationship than those grandparents raising grandchildren displaying problems, they still demonstrated higher levels than did traditional grandparents. Those grandparents who reported fewer resources, demonstrated poor attitudes regarding seeking mental health services, and reported raising grandchildren displaying problems had the lowest levels of adjustment.

Road Going Home follows the life of four women of the same family: grandmother, granddaughter, her mother, and her aunt. Mother Karen leaves home at sixteen because she's pregnant, afraid of disappointing parents Ruth and Nelson. Her sister Lacy is just a child when she leaves. Karen has always wanted to leave home because her small town feels suffocating. At the opening of the novel, Karen has moved into a commune in central Virginia. Her father kidnaps granddaughter Dylan in hopes of bringing his family back together. However, the result is the family growing more apart from one another. Thematically, the novel seeks to answer what happens to families when they run away from one another. How do we come back together again? And how do we rebuild those close ties that we once lost?

M.Ed. / Few prospective parents expect to have a child with a disability and, even if they are aware of the possibility, very few voice their fears or are prepared for the actual experience. Usually parents have to provide care for the children. However, in a Primary School, in Osizweni, the Newcastle area of Kwa-Zulu Natal, learners come from families in which grandparents are primary the only adult caretakers of young children and also those with disabilities. In 2002 the school started to admit learners with diverse needs, including severe behavioural problems, hearing and visual impairments, severe physical, intellectual and learning disabilities. These learners had not been admitted anywhere else previously, because of their disability. In Osizweni, as indicated above, most learners are no longer in the care of their biological parents but are being looked after by their grandparents. There are a number of reasons for this, some specific to the area and situation, others related to a general transference of responsibility common to the wider context of the extended family in African society. This study is aimed at exploring and describing the experiences of grandparents with grandchildren with disabilities and the inclusion of these learners in a school for the first time. This exploration and description could lead to better understanding of the grandparents and how to assist them to support their grandchildren at school The research was conducted in a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive manner. In-depth interviews were the main source of data collection with observation and field notes as added tools. Discursive, constructionist orientated interviews were used. Four grandparents of learners with disability were interviewed as a target population in the study. The recorded data from interviews and observation provided the information needed. The interviews were conducted in Zulu and the transcribed interviews translated in English. The transcripts were read and the themes observed. Themes and categories were identified, analyzed and discussed according to the data, which were collected and discussed to explore grandparents’ experiences of inclusive education. In analysing the data, seven themes were identified in describing the experiences of grandparents with grandchildren with disabilities and the inclusion of these learners in a school for the first time. These themes were use as a basis to better understanding of the grandparents and how to assist them to support their grandchildren at school. From the interviews it became evident that most grandparents experienced stress and uncertainty when attempting to secure help or specialty services related to the children’s disability and needs. They reported to be low users of existing services but in high need of services and benefits. This indicates discrimination, access, and difficulty in finding placement, knowledge and other barriers with which support services may be of assistance in resolving the problem. The participating grandparents also expressed financial needs and are being haunted by their own health issues and do not have finances for their needs and the needs of their grandchildren. The study also found that grandparents experience many losses as well as deep grief that comes with them and the grandchild being the constant reminder of the situation. Furthermore, the research findings exposed the fact that grandparents regard themselves as parents and have the great support from the community. In the final chapter, recommendations, as well as suggestions for supporting grandparents and the community at large were made. / Mrs. H. Krige