Using the Family Stress Model to Understand the Association of Parenting Stress, Parenting Strategies, and Child Behavioral Outcomes in Grandfamlies

• Main Author: Kaylor, Makena L
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2022
• Subjects: Clinical psychology; Developmental psychology; Individual & family studies
• ISBN: 9798379608118

There are over 2.4 million grandparents primarily responsible for raising their grandchildren (custodial grandparents; CGs). Although research on grandfamilies is scarce, we do know CGs have high levels of stress and many experience financial hardship. Additionally, their grandchildren are vulnerable to psychological disorders given the adverse circumstances that led to needing an alternative placement. Parenting research has found low-income, child behavioral problems, and stress are clearly linked with dysfunctional parenting strategies. Using the framework of the Family Stress Model (FSM; Conger et al., 2000), the current study examined how these factors are associated among grandfamilies. 79 CGs of 6-to 12-year-old grandchildren completed a REDCap survey with standardized measures assessing general stress, parenting stress, parenting strategies, and child behavior. It was hypothesized that parenting stress would be more strongly correlated with both dysfunctional parenting and child behavioral problems compared to general stress. Further, it was hypothesized that both parenting stress and dysfunctional parenting would predict child behavior. However, general stress was not expected to explain additional variance in child behavior when accounting for parenting stress and parenting. Finally, income was expected to moderate the associations between both parenting stress and child behavior as well as dysfunctional parenting and child behavior. The results were as follows. Although parenting stress was significantly correlated with parenting and child outcomes, general stress was similarly associated. As expected, parenting stress and dysfunctional parenting were predictive of child outcomes. However, general stress did explain additional variance in child behavior over and above parenting stress and parenting. Contrary to what was predicted, income did not moderate the associations of parenting and child behavior, nor parenting stress and child behavior. Overall, CGs in our sample had high levels of general and parenting stress. Consistent with previous research, grandchildren had high levels of behavioral problems and many families had low-income. Our findings highlight the need for a comprehensive treatment approach when working with grandfamilies. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.