Grandparents in a Parental or Near-Parental Role: Sources of Stress and Coping Mechanisms

Louisiana Tech University, Ruston

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: jlumpkin{at}latech.edu.

	Abstract

Although about 11% of grandparents are raising their grandchildren, a larger percentage provide a significant amount of care and serve in a near-parental role. Both parental and near-parental roles create stress. The stressors that these grandparents face and the strategies that they use to cope were investigated in this descriptive, exploratory study. Those high in the near-parental role used coping strategies to a greater degree than did those who considered themselves low in this role. The near-parental-role grandparents reported using problem-focused strategies and dealing with the problems causing the stress head-on with a plan of action. They rely on their faith to make something good out of the situation. The grandparents also used the emotion-focused tactic of escapism and dreamed of the situation’s "just going away." They also relied on social support and not just themselves to cope with the stress.

First published on October 16, 2007, doi:10.1177/0192513X07307848

Journal of Family Issues 2008;29:357.

A more recent version of this article appeared on March 1, 2008


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