Critical self-reflection questions for professsionals who work with grandfamilies

One of the reasons that grandparents raising grandchildren may not receive needed services is because they perceive professionals as being judgmental or holding negative attitudes toward them. As such, it is important for human service professionals to critically examine their opinions and attitudes toward grandfamilies, within the context of larger social structures, for the purposes of identifying those views that might interfere with the delivery of high quality services. This practice brief provides an overview of critical self-reflection questions that can be used, in a variety of ways, for training purposes. By utilizing these critical self-reflection questions, professionals can discover biases or attitudes that can then be addressed or challenged, in order to ensure that grandfamilies feel supported, respected, and affirmed by the professionals with whom they come into contact

Marriage & Family Therapy Students Learning Qualitative Research: Frameworks Identified Through Participatory-Observation

In this study, we used participant-observation to achieve grounded theory as we constructed a model outlining how marriage and family therapy graduate students learn qualitative research methods. We identified three major learning frameworks: Pragmatism, Ethics/Morality, and Identity of the Researcher. We also found that certain learning modalities are most congruent for students holding these major frameworks. “Critical learning incidences” appeared to cause a shift or r e -balancing of students ’ frameworks as they learn qualitative research. Application of these findings may help guide instructors who are teaching students with little previous exposure qualitative methodology. Recommendations for future research are also included

Practice Recommendations for Mental Health Professionals: Perspectives from Grandparents and their Adolescent Grandchildren

Although grandfamilies are consumers of a variety of mental health services, less is known about what these families, particularly the grandchildren, want from practitioners. To gain insight into how practitioners can best meet the needs of grandfamilies, 40 custodial grandmothers and their adolescent grandchildren were interviewed. Results of a qualitative analysis indicated that grandmothers and grandchildren did not make clear distinctions between various types of services and service providers. Grandchildren, in particular, emphasized the need for mental health professionals to facilitate mentoring and to provide opportunities for grandchildren to socialize with other grandchildren who have been through similar circumstances. Grandmothers and grandchildren both recommended promoting problem solving, offering services for grandchildren, and being responsive to the families’ unique needs. Participants also suggested that practitioners avoid making judgments, educate themselves about grandfamilies, advocate for their families, and attend to the experiences of both grandmothers and grandchildren. Implications of the findings for mental health practitioners are discussed

Grandchild adjustment and family functioning in grandparent -headed families: The role of attachment relationships

The purpose of the present study was to examine attachment relationships within grandparent-headed families. Path analysis was used to examine the relationships among grandparent reported bond to the grandchild, grandchild reported attachment to the grandparent, grandchild affect regulation, family functioning, and grandchild behavior problems. The convenience sample consisted of 52 pairs of custodial grandparents and their adolescent grandchildren. Participants were recruited nationally, through support group leaders. Participation involved each grandparent and grandchild completing a questionnaire packet and participating in an open-ended interview. Using recommendations from Baron and Kenny (1986) and others, grandparent and grandchild reports of grandchild affect regulation were tested as mediators between grandparent reported bond to the grandchild and grandparent and grandchild reports of family functioning and grandchild behavior problems. Similarly, grandparent and grandchild reports of grandchild affect regulation were tested as mediators between grandchild reported attachment to the grandparent and grandparent and grandchild reports of family functioning and grandchild behavior problems. Results indicated that grandparent report of grandchild affect regulation was a mediator. Grandparent reported bond to the grandchild was significantly and positively related to grandparent report of grandchild affect regulation which was, in turn, positively and significantly related to grandparent report of family functioning and negatively and significantly related to grandparent report of grandchild behavior problems. Grandchild report of grandchild affect regulation was not a mediator. However, grandchild report of grandchild affect regulation was positively and significantly related to grandchild report of family functioning and negatively and significantly related to grandchild report of grandchild behavior problems. Qualitative findings were used to further explore the quantitative results and indicated a variety of factors that might be related to the path model including multiple attachment figures, grandparent stress, the generation gap, and efforts by grandchildren to be cooperative. The results of this study provide important information about relationships in grandparent-headed families and can be used to inform future research and clinical practice

The Qualitative Report Marriage & Family Therapy Students Learning Qualitative Research: Frameworks Identified Through Participatory-Observation This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License

Abstract In this study, we used participant-observation to achieve grounded theory as we constructed a model outlining how marriage and family therapy graduate students learn qualitative research methods. We identified three major learning frameworks: Pragmatism, Ethics/Morality, and Identity of the Researcher. We also found that certain learning modalities are most congruent for students holding these major frameworks. "Critical learning incidences" appeared to cause a shift or r e -balancing of students ' frameworks as they learn qualitative research. Application of these findings may help guide instructors who are teaching students with little previous exposure qualitative methodology. Recommendations for future research are also included

Supporting grandchildren\u27s remote instruction during COVID-19: Experiences of custodial grandmothers

While negative impacts of COVID-19-related remote instruction on children continue to emerge, it appears that vulnerable students will disproportionately bear the burden. One such vulnerable population is children being raised by grandparents. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to gain insight into custodial grandmothers\u27 (CGMs) experiences of their grandchildren\u27s remote instruction, as well as individual and contextual factors associated with these experiences. A national sample of 315 CGMs, drawn from two randomized clinical trials, completed an online survey in Spring of 2020. Results of a thematic analysis and supplemental quantitative analyses revealed three themes. First, access to technology and instructional supports were critical to the success of remote instruction, with barriers being difficulties using technology and poor-quality remote instruction. Next, grandchild socioemotional difficulties, and fit with remote instruction, were central to their engagement and success with remote instruction. Finally, CGMs experienced multiple stressors related to managing the demands of remote instruction, work, and family. Challenges associated with remote instruction were related to pre-pandemic difficulties such as grandchild problems and CGM depressive symptoms. Collectively, the results highlight how multiple adversities may have amplified grandchildren\u27s existing vulnerability to negative outcomes. Implications are addressed, including strategies for supporting children raised by grandparents beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.</p