What Is the Impact of Custodial Grandchildren Receiving Mental Health Care on Grandparent Caregivers?

Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to analyze the potential impact of a custodial grandchild receiving mental healthcare on grandparent caregivers’ psychosocial functioning. Findings suggested that grandparents of grandchildren who had received some form of mental healthcare were more personally distressed, experienced less social support and more parental strain/stress, and were less resilient. Such grandparents were also less attached to their grandchildren and had grandchildren who were experiencing more emotional/behavioral difficulties. They were, however, more open to receiving psychological help. Findings also revealed that such effects were mediated by resilience, social support, and, to an extent, by parental self-efficacy. These data indicate that raising distressed grandchildren takes its toll on grandparents and that they are especially vulnerable, even if such grandchildren are receiving help.