The Lived Experiences of Grandparents Who Have Never Seen Their Grandchildren: A New Perspective on Grandparent Alienation

Abstract

Grandparent alienation and the discontinuity of grandparent-grandchild relationships have been largely overlooked in social science research, despite the fact that the salience of the grandparent-grandchild attachment bond is the subject of considerable discussion. This article reports the results of the first-known study examining the experiences of grandparents who have never seen their grandchildren. Sixty-four grandparents participated in an in-depth research project examining their lived experiences and the challenges associated with being excluded from the lives of their grandchildren. Results reveal a number of surprising findings, and contrast the experiences of alienated grandparents who have never seen their grandchildren with previous research on grandparents who were alienated subsequent to a pre-existing relationship with their grandchildren. Grandparent alienation has profoundly negative consequences for grandparents, and this has important implications for socio-legal policy and therapeutic practice.