Parents and grandparents view the autistic child

A scoping review of the literature on grandparents of children with disabilities

PURPOSE

The objectives of this review were to: (a) explore the extent and nature of available research on non-custodial grandparents of children with physical, intellectual, or neurodevelopmental disabilities and (b) descriptively summarize the research findings from those studies.

METHODS

We followed the five-stage scoping review methodology to identify relevant studies from four databases: Medline, CINAHL, Embase, and PsycINFO. Primary, peer-reviewed studies that explored grandparent-related topics in the context of childhood disability were included.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies were identified and analyzed. All of the studies followed non-experimental and qualitative study designs. In the last decade, there has been a growing interest in research on this population (n = 15). Grandparents varied considerably in age, education, employment status, and living arrangements (n = 4680). Grandmothers represented the vast majority of the population (82%). We grouped the grandparent-related findings from the individual reports into four categories: 1. Adjustment to grandchild's disability, 2. Roles, 3. Perceptions, and 4. Experiences.

CONCLUSION

Grandparents of children with disabilities are a heterogeneous population that experiences unique challenges in their grandparenting role. Future studies on this topic should be oriented toward high-quality, experimental study designs that take into consideration cultural, religious and demographic factors. Grandparents' involvement in healthcare should be encouraged.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONGrandparents of children with developmental disabilities who are not primary caregivers to their grandchild(ren) are significant family members in many families.They face unique challenges in adapting to their grandchild's disability and interacting with professionals regarding their grandchild's disability and functioning.Although there is considerable heterogeneity within this population, most grandparents share the experiences of gradual emotional adjustment to their grandchild's disability, active family involvement, positive perceptions of their family and grandchild's disability and lack of services for them.There are no identified interventions in the research literature that aimed to support grandparents of children with disabilities.

"It's Hard When People Try and Get Their Kids Away From Cole": A Family's Experiences of (In)dignity in Leisure Settings

The indignities imposed by the words and actions of strangers in public recreation facilities can deter families with children experiencing disability from using these spaces. An interpretative phenomenological analysis case study was conducted to gain an understanding of how a young family with a child with autism experiences dignity during family leisure. Three generations (parents, grandmother, and great grandmother) participated in audio-recorded semistructured and conversational interviews. The interviews, thematically analyzed and interpreted using the conceptual framework of relational ethics, depicted the family's experiences of dignity: (a) living under a microscope; (b) "screw your microscope, we're going anyway"; (c) emerging stories of belonging; and (d) retreating, feeling overlooked, and lamenting the future. The family members experienced both dignity-affirming and dignity-removing interactions during community family leisure. Dignity was cyclically maintained, temporarily lost, and regained again as family members (re)formulated perceptions of self-respect, rejected stereotypes, and built relationships.

Grandparents of Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Navigating Roles and Relationships

Grandparents can play critical roles in the lives of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. However, current research and understanding around grandparent roles and experiences is limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the roles and experiences of grandparents supporting children with disabilities. In this article, the voices of grandparents with diverse experiences are presented. Key themes that emerged were the role of the grandparent, boundaries in roles and space, navigating family dynamics, and the general experiences of grandparenting. These findings have implications for the types of supports provided to grandparents and for practitioners working with families who have actively involved grandparents.

Children on the autism spectrum: grandmother involvement and family functioning

BACKGROUND

This study investigated associations between the presence of a child with autism or Asperger's disorder in the family, family functioning and grandmother experiences with the goal of better understanding grandparent involvement in the lives of grandchildren on the autism spectrum and their families.

METHODS

Mothers and grandmothers of children who were either typically developing or on the autism spectrum completed parallel forms of a grandparent involvement measure. Mothers reported on the functioning of the immediate family. Data were analysed via multilevel modelling with mother-grandmother dyads as the unit of observation.

RESULTS

Autism spectrum disorders in children were associated with more flexible family functioning, lower levels of family satisfaction, greater grandmother difficulties and more grandmother information needs.

CONCLUSIONS

Participation of grandparents in diagnostic and treatment meetings and increased communication among family members may facilitate grandparent support and involvement in families with a child on the autism spectrum.

Les grands-parents : une source de soutien pour les parents d’enfants ayant une déficience

Les parents d’enfants ayant une déficience sont confrontés à plusieurs sources de stress et font face à plus d’obligations. Cet article présente une recension des écrits de 1985 à 2009 sur le soutien des grands-parents à ces parents. Cette revue révèle que différents éléments influencent la qualité de ce soutien : l’âge des grands-parents, leur état de santé, la proximité géographique, la communication, la proximité affective, les relations intergénérationnelles, leur attitude et leur implication. Cette recension soulève aussi la nécessité de poursuivre les études sur l’aide à donner aux grands-parents afin de faciliter leur rôle dans l’adaptation de la famille.