title: Effects of Social Support and Volunteering on Depression Among Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
abstract: Guided by a stress-buffering model, this study examined the effect of the caregiver stress on depressive symptoms, specifically the moderating effects of social support and volunteering on the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms among grandparent caregivers. The 2010 Health and Retirement Survey included a sample of 1,973 grandparent caregivers who reported their stress scores. Findings suggest that positive social support and volunteering significantly moderated the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms. In particular, the study revealed that perceived quality of relations may help grandparent caregivers cope with their ongoing stress and enlarged social interaction may buffer the increase of negative stressor outcomes.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA HEJ10@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Heejung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Fengyan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002668:Child Rearing / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D000066502:Grandparents / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: depressive symptoms; grandparent caregivers; social support; stress; volunteering