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Understanding Grandfamilies: Characteristics of Grandparents, Nonresident Parents, and Children
Author(s) -
Pilkauskas Natasha V.,
Dunifon Rachel E.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of marriage and family
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.578
H-Index - 159
eISSN - 1741-3737
pISSN - 0022-2445
DOI - 10.1111/jomf.12291
Subject(s) - grandparent , disadvantaged , socioemotional selectivity theory , psychology , developmental psychology , educational attainment , disadvantage , raising (metalworking) , fragile families and child wellbeing study , child rearing , geometry , mathematics , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Using data from the Year 9 Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study ( N ∼ 3,182), we investigated the characteristics grandfamilies (grandparents raising their grandchildren with no parent present, N = 84) and compared them to other key groups, including children's nonresident parents and other economically disadvantaged families with children. Results show that grandparents raising their grandchildren were generally better off in terms of educational attainment, marital status, and economic well‐being than the child's parents. Grandparents raising their grandchildren also had characteristics very similar to other disadvantaged mothers. Academic and socioemotional well‐being were poorer among children in grandfamilies compared with those living with their mothers, but parenting practices were very similar. These findings suggest that although children in grandfamilies may be at a disadvantage academically and socioemotionally, grandparent caregivers are in many ways similar to other fragile‐family mothers. Overall, this study enhances our knowledge of an important yet understudied family type.