Tang, Fengyan and Farmer, Elizabeth
(2020)
Grandparents raising grandchildren: A Strength-Based Perspective and Intervention.
In: Pitt Momentum Fund 2020, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the number of grandparents raising grandchildren has grown rapidly in the United States. In 2012, about 2.7 million Americans were responsible for the basic needs of co-residing grandchildren, with 37% of them aged 60 and older. Previous research largely emphasized the negative impacts of childcare on grandparent caregivers’ (GCs) well-being, while ignoring the rewards of raising grandchildren such as a source of happiness, pride, and accomplishment, and the resilience among GCs. Resilience is typically defined as the capacity to adapt successfully despite experiencing adversity. Resilient grandparents are characterized by positive appraisal and acceptance of their family life, the personality trait of persistence, maintenance of healthy boundaries within family, commitment to new life routines and their grandchildren, and social connectivity. Custodial grandparent caregivers without adequate resources are vulnerable and in needs of social support and services to maintain resilience. A strength-based perspective will provide a framework for designing and providing interventions with GP to enhance their resilience. This study aims to examine GC resilience within an adaptation framework that views social support and coping skills as key protective mechanisms in relation to GCs’ well-being. We will explore how individual attributes, family resources, interpersonal relationships, and external support systems contribute to resilience and health outcomes among GCs. Particularly, we will investigate the roles of social service utilization in enhancing resilience and explore how to develop strengthen-based interventions in collaboration with social service providers. We will use mixed methods of survey questionnaire and focus group among grandparent caregivers to find out their caregiving experience and to define GC resilience. Further, we will investigate social service accessibility and utilization among GC families through seeking information from social service providers. We will closely work with social service providers in developing strength-based interventions and improving caregiving outcomes.
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