title: Grandparenting experiences among adults with a history of depression: a mixed-methods study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Grandparenting is an important social role, but how adults with a history of depression experience grandparenting is unknown; we describe grandparenting experiences reported by an ethnically diverse sample of adults with a history of depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mixed-methods study using semistructured interviews of adults at 10-year follow-up and quantitative data collected over 9 years from 280 systematically sampled participants from a longitudinal, multisite trial of quality-improvement interventions for depressed primary care patients; of 280, 110 reported noncustodial grandparenting experiences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 110 adults reporting grandparenting experiences, 90 (82%) reported any positive experience such as special joy; 57 (52%) reported any stressful experience such as separation; and 27 (34%) reported mixed experiences. Adults with chronic or recent depression were significantly more likely than their respective counterparts to report any stressful experience (P<0.05). There was no significant association between depression status and reporting a positive experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Grandparenting was a highly salient and positive experience as reported by ethnically diverse adults 10 years after being identified as depressed in primary care. Depression status was associated with reporting stressful but not positive experiences. Specific themes underlying positive and stressful experiences may have implications for developing strategies to enhance quality of life for adults with a history of depression who are grandparents.
authors: Center for Health Services and Society, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA; Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA. Electronic address: aizquierdo@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors: Adriana
authors: A
authors: Izquierdo
authors: Center for Health Services and Society, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA.
authors: Jeanne
authors: J
authors: Miranda
authors: Center for Health Services and Society, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA; West Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center, Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Los Angeles, CA, 90073, USA.
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Bromley
authors: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, 90407, USA.
authors: Cathy
authors: C
authors: Sherbourne
authors: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, 90407, USA.
authors: Gery
authors: G
authors: Ryan
authors: RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, 90407, USA.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Kennedy
authors: Center for Health Services and Society, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA.
authors: Kenneth
authors: K
authors: Wells
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D000066502:Grandparents / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Depression; Grandparenting; Minority and diverse populations; Mixed-methods; Older adults