The structural and functional dimensions of perceived social support were examined, with particular emphasis on the importance of grandparents as support providers to the mothers of children with special needs. Forty-seven mothers of children with cerebral palsy and 43 mothers of children without such a disability (comparison group) were interviewed in their homes using the social support network list (Kazak & Wilcox, 1984), a special version of a support functions scale (Dunst, Trivette, & Deal, 1988), and satisfaction with social support (Vaux & Harrison, 1985). The results indicate that differences between the two groups were found only in the structural dimension of network size. However, no differences in the analysis of the functional dimension and satisfaction from support were revealed. In both research groups, grandparents were highly ranked in comparison with other support providers, and a clear hierarchy was revealed; maternal grandmothers were perceived to be the most important figures providing more emotional than instrumental support and received the highest score in terms of satisfaction from support. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BerkmanL. F. (1985). The relationship of social networks and social support to morbidity and mortality. In CohenS., & SymeS. L. (Eds.), Social support and health (pp. 241–259). New York: Academic Press.
2.
BernsH. J. (1980). Grandparents of handicapped children. Social Work, 17, 238–239.
3.
BowenM. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice.New York: Aronson.
4.
BreslauN., & DavisG. (1986). Chronic stress and major depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 43, 309–314.
5.
BreslauN., StaruchK. S., & MortimerF. A. (1982). Psychological distress in mothers of disabled children. American Journal of Diseases in Children, 136, 682–686.
6.
BrislinR. W. (1980). Translation and content analysis of oral and written material. In TriandisH. C., & BerryJ. W. (Eds.), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology (pp. 389–444). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
7.
ByrneE. A., CunninghamC. C., & SloperP. (1988). Families and their children with Down's syndrome: One feature in common.London: Routledge.
8.
CaplanG. (1974). Support systems and community mental health.New York: Human Sciences Press.
9.
CohenS., & SymeS. L. (1985). Issues in the study and application of social support. In CohenS., & SymeS. L. (Eds.), Social support and health (pp. 3–22). New York: Academic Press.
10.
DunstC. J., TrivetteC. M., & DealA. G. (1988). Enabling and empowering families: Principles and guidelines for practice.Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.
11.
DunstC. J., TrivetteC. M., & HanbyD. W. (1994). Measuring social support in families with young children with disabilities. In DunstC. J., TrivetteC. M., & DealA. G. (Eds.), Supporting and strengthening families.Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.
12.
DysonL. L. (1993). Response to the presence of a child with disabilities: Parental stress and family functioning over time. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 98, 207–218.
13.
FischerL. R. (1983). Transition to grandmotherhood. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 16, 67–78.
14.
FlorianV. (1989). The cultural impact on the family dynamics of parents who have a child with a disability. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 10, 97–111.
15.
GableH., & KotchL. S. (1981). Extended families and young handicapped children. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1, 29–35.
16.
GansterD. C., & BartV. (1988). The impact of social support on mental and physical health. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 61, 17–36.
17.
GardnerJ. E., SchermanA., MobleyD., BrownP., & SchutterM. (1994). Grandparents' beliefs regarding their role and relationship with special needs grandchildren. Education and Treatment of Children, 17, 185–196.
18.
HarrisS. L., HandlemanJ. S., & PalmerC. (1985). Parents and grandparents view the autistic child. Journal of Autism and Development Disabilities, 25, 127–137.
19.
HermonS., & BarR. (1995). Prevalence and incidence of physically handicapped children (and cerebral palsy) in Israel. A special survey under the auspices of ILAN, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
20.
HirschB. J. (1980). Natural support system and coping with major life change. American Journal of Community Psychology, 8, 159–172.
21.
HolroydJ. (1976). The questionnaire in resources and stress: An instrument to measure family response to a handicapped member. Journal of Community Psychology, 2, 92–94.
22.
HornbyG., & AshworthT. (1994). Grandparents' support for families who have children with disabilities. Journal of Child Family Studies, 3, 403–412.
23.
HouseJ. S. (1981). Work stress and social support.Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
24.
KazakA. E., & MarvinR. (1984). Differences, difficulties and adaptation: Stress and social networks in families with a handicapped child. Family Relations, 33, 67–77.
25.
KazakA. E., & ParkesL. (1987). Reliability and validity data for a social network assessment technique (SNRDAT). Paper presented at the 1987 Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, New York.
26.
KazakA. E., ReberM., & CarterA. (1988). Structural and qualitative aspects of social networks in families with young chronically ill children. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 13, 171–182.
27.
KazakA. E., ReberM., & SnitzerL. (1988). Chronic childhood disease and family functioning: A study of phenylketnuria. Pediatrics, 81, 224–230.
28.
KazakA. E., & WilcoxB. L. (1984). The structure and function of social support networks in families with handicapped children. American Journal of Community Psychology, 12, 645–661.
29.
LangnerT. (1962). A 22- item screening score of psychiatric symptoms indicating impairment. Journal of Health and Human Behavior, 3, 269–276.
30.
McCubbinH. I., NevinR. S., CaubleA. E., ComeawJ. K., & PattersonJ. M. (1982). Family coping with chronic illness: The case of cerebral palsy. In McCubbinH. I., CaubleA. E., & PattersonJ. M. (Eds.), Family stress, coping and social support.Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
31.
McCubbinH. I., & PattersonJ. M. (1982). The family stress process: The double ABCX model of family adjustment and adaptation. Marriage and Family Review, 6, 7–37.
32.
Mirfin-VeitchB., BrayA., & WatsonM. (1996). “They really do care”: Grandparents as informal support sources for families of children with disabilities. New Zealand Journal of Disability Studies, 2, 136–148.
33.
Mirfin-VeitchB., BrayA., & WatsonM. (1997). “We are just that sort of family”: Intergenerational relationships in families including children with disabilities. Family Relations, 46, 305–311.
34.
NadlerA. (1983). Personal characteristics and help seeking. In DepaulloB., NadlerA., & FischerD. J. (Eds.), New directions in helping (Vol. 2, help-seeking) (pp. 309–339). New York: Academic Press.
35.
NyboW. L., SchermanA., & FreemanP. L. (1998). Grandparents' role in family systems with a deaf child. American Annals of the Deaf, 143, 260–267.
36.
SandlerA. G., WarrenS. H., & RaverS. A. (1995). Grandparents as a source of support for parents of children with disabilities: A brief report. Mental Retardation, 33, 248–250.
37.
SandlerI. N., & BarreraM. J. (1984). Toward a multimethod approach to assessing the effects of social support. American Journal of Community Psychology, 12, 37–52.
38.
SarasonB. R., PierceG. R., & SarasonI. G. (1990). Social support: The sense of acceptance and the role of relationships. In SarasonB. R., SarasonI. G., & PierceG. R. (Eds.), Social support: An interactional view (pp. 95–128). New York: Wiley.
39.
SchilmollerG. L., & BaranovskyM. D. (1998). Intergenerational support in families with disabilities: Grandparents' perspectives. Families in Society, 79(5), 465–476.
40.
SeligmanM. (1991). Grandparents of disabled grandchildren: Hopes, fears, and adaptation. Families in Society, 72(3), 147–152.
41.
SeyboldJ., FritzJ., & MacpheeD. (1991). Relation of social support to the self- perceptions of mothers with delayed children. Journal of Community Psychology, 19, 29–36.
42.
SingerL., & FarkasK. J. (1989). The impact of infant disability on maternal perception of stress. Family Relations, 38, 444–449.
43.
TurnbullA., Blue-BanningM., BehrS., & KernsG. (1986). Family research and intervention: A value and ethical examination. In DokeckiP., & ZanerR. (Ed.), Ethics of dealing with people with severe handicaps: Toward a research agenda, (pp. 119–140). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
44.
UngerD. G., & PowellD. R. (1980). Supporting families under stress: The role of social networks. Family Relations, 29, 566–574.
45.
VadasyP. F. (1987). Grandparents of children with special needs: Supports especially for grandparents. Children's Health Care, 16, 21–23.
46.
VadasyP. F., FewellR. R., & MeyersD. J. (1986). Grandparents of children with special needs: Insight into their experience and concerns. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood Education, 10, 36–44.
47.
VauxA., & HarrisonD. (1985). Support network characteristics associated with support satisfaction and perceived support. American Journal of Community Psychology, 13, 245–265.
48.
WandersmanL. P., WandersmanA., & KahnS. (1980). Social support in the transition to parenthood. Journal of Community Psychology, 8, 332–342.
49.
WillsT. A. (1985). Supportive functions of interpersonal relationships. In CohenS., & SymeS. L. (Eds.), Social support and health (pp. 61–82). New York: Academic Press.
50.
WinerB. G. (1962). Statistical principles in experimental design.New York: McGraw-Hill.
