Predictors of COVID-19 Related Stress Among Custodial Grandmothers

This paper examined predictors of COVID-19 stressors among 316 custodial grandmothers raising school-aged grandchildren using regression. Grandmothers, who were participants in two nationwide behavioral RCTs, completed an online questionnaire in Spring 2020. Predictors included grandmother demographics, depressive symptoms, perceived caregiving stress and reward, stress management strategies, and grandchild factors. Outcomes included grandmothers’ stress related to using bad coping habits (r2=.24), grandchildren’s remote learning(r2=.39), household conflict (r2=.29), COVID-19 fear and uncertainty (r2=.28), and finances(r2=.24). Regression results indicated that grandmothers’ pre-existing depressive symptoms predicted all outcomes except remote learning stress. Higher caregiving stress was associated with all outcomes, except concerns about using bad coping habits. Grandmothers with less perceived access to care reported greater concern about bad coping habits and remote learning stress, while minority grandmothers reported more financial stress and COVID-19 fear and uncertainty. Findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the stress experienced by already burdened custodial grandmothers.

Daily Emotional Dynamics of Custodial Grandfamilies: Cross-Dyad Correlations of Affect Means and Variability

Evidence indicates that daily emotional dynamics are associated with mental and physical health. However, these processes have not been examined among custodial grandmothers taking care of adolescent grandchildren. This daily diary study examined correlations between grandmothers and adolescents’ mean levels and variability in negative (NA) and positive affect (PA). Custodial dyads (M = 214) across the nation completed two weeks of daily surveys. For both grandmothers and adolescents, their own PA means were negatively correlated with NA means, PA variability, and NA variability; NA means were positively correlated with variability in PA and NA (ps <.01). Across dyads, grandmothers’ PA means were positively correlated with adolescents’ PA means and negatively correlated with adolescents’ NA means, PA variability and NA variability. Grandmothers’ NA means were positively correlated with adolescents’ variability in PA and NA (ps <.01). Our findings demonstrate how daily emotional dynamics are correlated within and between family members.

ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES REPORTED BY CUSTODIAL GRANDMOTHERS AND THEIR ADOLESCENT GRANDCHILDREN

The Risky Family Model postulates that adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are likely to be encountered across generations within custodial grandfamilies which, in turn, may adversely impact their overall well-being. The present study is a pioneering attempt to examine the patterns of ACEs self-reported by custodial grandmothers (CGM) and adolescent grandchildren (AGC) from the same families, and how their total ACE scores correlate with key physical and mental health outcomes. A total of 129 CGM-ACG dyads recruited for a nationwide RCT study completed separately at baseline the 10-item ACE-CDC and 4 items from the ACE-IQ, as well as various standardized measures of physical and emotional well-being. The most frequent ACEs reported by AGC were loss of a parent (60.5%), verbal abuse (58.1%), bullying by peers (46.5%), and living with someone jailed (45.0%). The predominant ACEs for CGM were bullying by peers (48.8%), verbal abuse (48.1%), living with a mentally ill person (34.1%), being touched sexually (29.5%), and loss of parent (29.5%). Only 10.1% of ACG and 15.5% of CGM reported 0 ACEs, whereas 65.1 % of ACG and 59% of CGM reported > 3 ACEs. For ACG, total ACE scores correlated significantly with externalizing (r=.32) and internalizing (r=.30) difficulties, self-esteem (r= -.28), loneliness (r=.27), school problems (r=.24), and physical health (r= -.26). For CGMs, anxiety (r=.23) and depression (r=.19) only were correlated significantly with total ACEs. We conclude that although both CGM and ACG reported alarmingly high levels of ACEs, different patterns and correlates exist between the generations. [Funded by R01AG054571]

NUTRITIONAL NEEDS AND PREFERENCES AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN CUSTODIAL GRANDMOTHERS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

This presentation summarizes a qualitative analysis from focus groups with African American, urban dwelling grandmothers raising grandchildren in parent-absent households. Nutritional needs of custodial grandparents are an under explored area of research. Previous studies on custodial grandparents have acknowledged the physical, social, and familial burdens they endure as caregivers of their grandchildren. Limited financial support is a consistent concern. One manifestation of having scarce monetary resources is not being able to meet daily nutritional requirements. As a result, adverse health outcomes related to the onset of diet-related diseases (e.g., obesity, hypertension, diabetes) are too common, especially for custodial grandparents of color. The present study qualitatively explores grandmothers’ (N=9) experiences and ideas about food choices/options, decisions about when and where to purchase food, and the involvement of grandchildren in food-related practices and traditions. Grandparent participants were recruited from a community-based intervention, a program that provides health and social support services to grandparents raising grandchildren in Atlanta. Each of the focus groups consisted of 4-6 custodial grandmothers , facilitated by a doctoral-level community nutritionist. The major themes summarized from the qualitative group interviews were framed within a feminist/race theoretical context. Dominant themes from the focus group encounters include traditional gender roles related to food purchase and preparation, prioritizing food options to meet family preferences, available/accessible urban-based food options, food knowledge deficits, and sustaining cultural identity and nutritional health. Findings suggest implications for food and health policy, community-level programming, and nutrition education interventions.

CUSTODIAL GRANDPARENTS: AN ANALYSIS OF PARENTING AND ITS IMPACT ON HEALTH

In the United States, there are 2.7 million grandparents raising grandchildren without a biological parent present (U.S. Census, 2014). Caring for grandchildren can present challenges and stressors to custodial grandparents as they find themselves adjusting to this unanticipated role. Despite the growing knowledge base related to custodial grandparents, there has been limited research into the relationship between parenting self-efficacy and psychological well-being. This study was guided by the Parenting Self-Efficacy Theory derived from Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parenting self-efficacy and psychological well-being (anxiety and depression) among custodial grandmothers. Additionally, self-reported general health was examined to determine if it moderated the relationship between parenting self-efficacy and psychological well-being. Sixty-eight custodial grandmothers recruited across the United States participated in the study. Their mean age was 58 years old; 57% were Caucasian, 35% African American, and 3% Hispanic. With a mean income of $26,000.00, most were retired (32%) or working full-time (29%). Participants responded to psychometrically sound instruments measuring anxiety, depression, general health and parenting self-efficacy. Findings indicated parenting self-efficacy scores were not significantly associated with anxiety scores (r = .029; p = .816) or depression scores (r= -.207; p = .090) among participants. Furthermore, general health did not moderate a relationship between parenting self-efficacy, anxiety (R2= .030; p= .5753) or depression (R2= .051; p= .3376). Further research is needed to determine whether the role of parenting self-efficacy in custodial grandparents. Implications for policy will also be discussed

Custodial grandparents : an analysis of parenting and its impact on health

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Grandparents assuming the role of caregiver to their grandchildren continues to increase in the United States. Caring for grandchildren can present challenges and stressors to custodial grandparents as they find themselves adjusting to this unanticipated role. Parenting one's grandchildren may increase the risk for health problems and psychological distress if one has low parenting self-efficacy. Despite the growing number of custodial grandparents, there has been limited research into the relationship between parenting self-efficacy and psychological well-being. This study was guided by the Parenting Self-Efficacy Theory derived from Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory. The purpose was to examine the relationship between parenting self-efficacy and psychological well-being (anxiety and depression) among custodial grandmothers. Additionally, self-reported general health was examined to determine if it moderated the relationship between parenting self-efficacy and psychological well-being. Custodial grandmothers (N=68) were recruited using several methods to respond to psychometrically sound instruments measuring anxiety, depression, general health and parenting self-efficacy scores. Findings indicated parenting self-efficacy scores were not significantly associated with anxiety scores (r = .029; p = .816) or depression scores (r= -.207; p = .090) among custodial grandmothers. Furthermore, general health did not moderate a relationship between parenting self-efficacy, anxiety (R[superscript 2=] .030; p= .5753) or depression (R[superscript 2=] .051; p= .3376). Based on the original power analysis, the study was underpowered. Therefore, the hypotheses cannot be rejected or accepted. Further research is needed to determine whether prior parenting experiences are actually protective for grandparents having to parent.