Publication year: 2011
Source: Children and Youth Services Review, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 2 July 2011
Susan J., Kelley , Deborah M., Whitley , Peter E., Campos
Over the past few decades there has been a dramatic increase in children being raised by grandparents due to a variety of factors including child maltreatment, parental abandonment,substance abuse, and incarceration. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of behavior problems in children being raised by grandmothers and to determine factors in their current environment that are related to child behavior problems. The study draws on McCubbin’s resiliency model of family stress, adjustment and adaptation.The sample comprised 230 children ages 2 to 16years who were being raised by grandmothers in parent-absent homes. The families were predominantly low…
Research highlights: ► We measure levels of behavior problems in children raised by grandmothers ► We examine factors in caregiving environment that may contribute to behavior problems ► Almost one-third of grandchildren had clinically elevated behavior problem scores ► Grandmother distress, family resources, and the home environment were related to child behavior problems