The Experience of Stress and Personal Growth Among Grandparents of Children With and Without Intellectual Disability

Abstract

The aim of this research was to examine the contribution of internal and external resources to stress and personal growth among grandparents of children with and without an intellectual disability. Ninety-four grandparents of children with intellectual disability and 105 grandparents of children without intellectual disability completed the following scales: Multidimensional Experience of Grandparenthood; Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support, Level of Differentiation of Self Scale, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Results indicate that group differences are reflected in higher negative emotions among grandparents of children without intellectual disability. In addition, both stress and growth are related to better health, lower level of education, family cohesiveness, and negative emotions. However, whereas stress is associated with the internal resource of self-differentiation, the external resource of social support, and the cost of grandparenthood, growth is associated with gender and the symbolic and behavioral aspects of the grandparenting role. This study aimed to correct the nearly exclusive focus in the literature on negativity, stress, and the burden of grandparenting children with intellectual disability, as well as to test the pervasive assumption that the absence of disability results in an almost entirely positive grandparenting experience with nearly no negative affect.

Needs of Grandparents of Preschool-Aged Children with ASD in Sweden

“…The authors recommended that in order to understand patterns of stress management in families of children with autism, one should study the influence of resilience factors, such as informal social support and respite care, in the context of the child's whole family system nested in the broader social environment. Indeed, as evidence suggests, presence of resources such as self-differentiation and social support can be associated with reduced stress in grandparents irrespective of their grandchild's disability status (Findler 2014). Among other protective factors that can contribute to resilience and personal growth in grandparents of children with disabilities are intergenerational connections and the grandparenting role with the accompanying feelings of unconditional love, joy, and gratitude (Findler 2014;Hillman et al 2017).…”

“…Indeed, as evidence suggests, presence of resources such as self-differentiation and social support can be associated with reduced stress in grandparents irrespective of their grandchild's disability status (Findler 2014). Among other protective factors that can contribute to resilience and personal growth in grandparents of children with disabilities are intergenerational connections and the grandparenting role with the accompanying feelings of unconditional love, joy, and gratitude (Findler 2014;Hillman et al 2017). Grandparents' positive feelings and satisfaction with their role are pivotal in the family system where a child with ASD is present: grandparents can be invaluable resource to parents and siblings by providing practical and emotional support (Pit-ten Cate et al 2007;Prendeville and Kinsella 2018).…”

Stressful Life Events and Physical and Psychological Health: Mediating Effects of Differentiation of Self in a Spanish Sample

“…Among these studies, 39 assessed the relationship of DoS and psychological health; these studies found greater DoS was associated with greater self-esteem and fewer depressed symptoms (e.g., Chung & Gale, 2006), fewer psychiatric symptoms and greater positive affect (e.g., Sandage & Jankowski, 2010), and fewer psychological symptoms (e.g., Ross & Murdock, 2014). Several empirical studies have considered the role of DoS in the relationship between perceived stress of SLEs and psychological health (Rodr ıguez-Gonz alez, 2017), and research conducted in primarily Caucasian U.S. samples appears to show that DoS operates as a mediator of the stress-health relationship (Bartle-Haring, Rosen, & Stith, 2002;Findler, 2014;Krycak, Murdock, & Marszalek, 2012;Skowron, Wester, & Azen, 2004). To our knowledge, no studies of this kind have been conducted within European or Spanish samples.…”

“…Specifically, if the negative effects of life stress operate through one's level of DoS to influence health outcomes, we reasoned that evidence of DoS as a mediator of the stress-health outcomes relationship would emerge. Several empirical studies have shown evidence of DoS as a mediator between perceived and actual stress and psychological health (e.g., Bartle-Haring et al, 2002;Findler, 2014;Krycak et al, 2012;Kudo & Fujiu, 2009;. Krycak et al (2012) tested a competing hypothesis of DoS as a mediator and moderator of actual and perceived stress and psychological distress.…”

Grandparent-Grandchild Relationships in Israel: A Comparison between Different Jewish Religious Groups

“…Another aspect addressed in these studies is the role played by parents in mediating the relationship between grandparents and grandchild (e.g., Werner, Buchbinder, Lowenstein, & Livni, 2005. Other studies focused on situations of stress and crisis in the family, such as divorce, illness, disability, or loss of a grandchild (e.g., Bendett, 2007;Brown, 2002;Dayan-Sharabi, 2007;Findler, 2000Findler, , 2014Possick, 2013;Tourjeman, 2012). A number of studies examined the relationships between grandchildren and sick and disabled grandparents (e.g., Even-Zohar, 2011;Sela-Katz, 2003;Werner & Lowenstein, 2001).…”