Journal
JOURNAL OF FAMILY ISSUES
Volume 27, Issue 7, Pages 912-932Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/0192513X06287167
Keywords
caregiving; grandparenting; child rearing; family; stress
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study investigated the degree of stress in 50 African American grandparents (M = 63.12 years) who are raising their grandchildren and identified the importance of caregiver characteristics, the caregiving situation, and specific coping strategies that influence stress. Data were collected via interview at senior centers and churches in Harris County, Texas. The instruments used to measure stress and coping were the Parenting Stress Index and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Of grandparents, 94% reported a clinically significant level of stress. Use of professional counseling, special school programs, and length of caregiving longer than 5 years were associated with less stress. Coping strategies significantly correlated with less stress included accepting responsibility, confrontive coping, self-control, positive reappraisal, planful problem solving, and distancing. This study adds to the limited information about custodial grandparents and suggests counseling, support groups, and education to help them manage stress associated with their caregiving situation more effectively.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available