The impact of childhood disability on grandparents has been largely ignored. The author reviews the roles and meanings of grandparenthood, then explores the potential impact of a disabled grandchild on grandparents. Ways in which grandparents can contribute to stress in the family or be a source of emotional and instrumental support are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BowenM. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice.New York: Jason Aronson.
2.
ClickJ. (1986). Grandparent concerns: Learning to be special. Sibling Information Network Newsletter, 5, 3–4.
3.
FarberB. (1959). Effects of a severely mentally retarded child on family integration. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 24(Serial No. 71).
4.
FarberB., & RyckmanD. B. (1965). Effects of a severely retarded child on family relationships. Mental Retardation Abstracts, 11, 1–17.
5.
GableH., & KotschL. S. (1981). Extended families and young handicapped children. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1(1), 29–35.
6.
GeorgeJ. D. (1988). Therapeutic intervention for grandparents and extended family of children with developmental delays. Mental Retardation, 26, 369–375.
7.
HarrisL. (1975). The myth and reality of aging in America.Washington, DC: National Council on Aging.
8.
HoltK. S. (1958). Home care of severely retarded children. Pediatrics, 22, 744–755.
9.
KahanaG., & KahanaE. (1970). Grandparenthood from the perspective of the developing grandchild. Developmental Psychology, 3, 98–105.
10.
KivnickH. Q. (1983). Dimensions of grandparent-hood meaning: Deductive conceptualization and empirical deviation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44, 1056–1068.
11.
MeyerD. J., & VadasyP. F. (1986). Grandparent workshops: How to organize workshops for grandparents of children with handicaps.Seattle: University of Washington Press.
12.
MinuchinS. (1974). Families and family therapy.Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
13.
PieperE. (1976, April). Grandparents can help. The Exceptional Parent, pp. 7–9.
14.
RhoadesE. A. (1975). A grandparent's workshop. Volta Review, 77, 557–560.
15.
RossA. O. (1964). The exceptional child in the family.New York: Grune and Stratton.
16.
SeligmanM. (Ed.). (1983). The family with a handicapped child.Orlando, FL: Grune and Stratton.
17.
SeligmanM., & DarlingR. B. (1989). Ordinary families, special children: A systems approach to childhood disability.New York: Guilford.
18.
SolnitA. J., & StarkM. H. (1961). Mourning and the birth of a defective child. Psychoanalytic Studies of the Child, 16, 523–537.
19.
SonnekI. M. (1986). Grandparents and the extended family of handicapped children. In FewellR. R., & VadasyP. F. (Eds.), Families of handicapped children (pp. 99–120). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
20.
StehowerJ. (1968). The household and family relations of old people. In ShamesE.TownsendD.WedderbrunnD.FriisH.MichojP., & StehowerJ. (Eds.), Old people in three industrial societies (pp. 177–226). New York: Atherton.
21.
TingeyE. (1988). Down syndrome.Baltimore, MD: Brooks.
22.
VadasyP. F.FewellR. R., & MeyerD. J. (in press). Grandparents of children with special needs: Insights into their experiences and concerns. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood Education.
23.
WeisbrenS. E. (1980). Parents' reactions after the birth of a developmentally disabled child. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 84, 345–351.
24.
WilcoxonA. S. (1987). Grandparents and grandchildren: An often neglected relationship between significant others. Journal of Counseling and Development, 65, 289–290.
25.
ZinsmeisterK. (1985, September 2). Snapshot of a changing America. Time, pp. 16–18.
