The grandparent experience : an investigation of factors related to grandparent styles and emotional satisfaction with being a grandparent

Knox, Mary Anne K. (1995) The grandparent experience : an investigation of factors related to grandparent styles and emotional satisfaction with being a grandparent. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

One hundred and fifty-five (62 M, 93 F) grandparent volunteers (Mean age = 67) from St. John's or Mount Pearl, NF were surveyed using a structured interview. Various grandparent styles (e.g., family-historian, fun-seeker, etc.) and factors related to grandparent satisfaction (e.g., role adjustment) were assessed. Consistent with earlier findings, distant-figure grandparents were more likely than were grandparents of other styles to agree that they saw their grandchild only during special occasions (e.g., Christmas); the fun-seeking style was negatively related to grandparents' age. Contrary to earlier findings, however, the surrogate-parent style was not found to be significantly more typical of grandmothers than grandfathers; the surrogate-parent style was not significantly correlated with feeling obliged to spend time with grandchildren; surrogate-parent grandparents were not significantly less satisfied with being a grandparent than were grandparents who were not surrogate parents; the fun-seeking style was not significantly related to grandchildren's age; young grandparents were not less involved with grandchildren than were old grandparents; grandparents who were highly representative of the formal-grandparent style agreed to involvement with raising grandchildren. Fun-seeking, surrogate-parent, indulgent, and family-historian styles were positively associated with a composite satisfaction measure. Overall, respondents found the grandparent experience to be varied and emotionally satisfying.

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