title: Emotional strain in caregiving among African American grandmothers raising their grandchildren.
abstract: African Americans are disproportionately represented in the number of grandparents raising their grandchildren. Using Role Strain Theory and Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, this study examines how older grandmothers fare relative to their younger counterparts. Eighty-five custodial African American grandmothers, aged 33-88 years old, completed demographic questionnaires and scales of Role Demand, Emotional Strain, Caregiving Strain Index, and Level of Care. Results showed older grandmothers experienced less emotional and caregiving strain relative to younger grandmothers. Furthermore, married grandmothers experienced less caregiving strain, and their age did not insulate them from the strain associated with the level of care. Implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Derner Institute, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY 11530, USA. Conway2@adelphi.edu
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Amandia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Speakes-Lewis
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D002668:Child Rearing / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires