(Re)constructing relationships with grandparents: a turning point analysis of granddaughters' relational development with maternal grandmothers

Applications of turning point analysis in behavioral medicine research: A systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND

Turning Point Analysis (TPA) is a methodological approach that allows scholars to retrospectively capture change over time by identifying instances of critical change (i.e., turning points) encountered across a given time period. While TPA has been used to examine time as a variable in health and illness experiences, the use of the method in behavioral medicine scholarship may be limited by the lack of understanding of TPA procedures and applicability.

OBJECTIVE

To describe how TPA has been used and enhance its accessibility by identifying and synthesizing methods of TPA data collection and analysis.

METHODS

A systematic search of electronic databases, including Academic Source Premier, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, APA PsycInfo, and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses Database, was conducted in May 2020. In July 2020, we used hand searching to identify additional articles, including forward and back tracking seminal articles on TPA. Studies were screened in duplicate.

RESULTS

Of the 1184 studies screened for this review, we included 52. Studies used TPA to examine relational (k = 40), organizational (k = 6), and individual (k = 6) variables and included an analysis of either turning points (k = 28), the trajectories of change over time created by the turning points (k = 3), or both (k = 21). Turning points and trajectories were captured and analyzed using qualitative and quantitative analytic approaches, with most studies using either purely qualitative (k = 26) or mixed methods (k = 21).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this review provide insight into the varied applications of TPA and suggest the potential value of this methodological approach in better understanding health experiences across time. By synthesizing the procedural and analytic steps to conducting a TPA, this review could also increase the accessibility and use of TPA in behavioral medicine research.

College Granddaughters' Memories and Emotions Related to Their Relationships With Their Deceased Grandfathers

The main question addressed in this exploratory study was the following: What is the content of college females' journals about their deceased grandfathers? The method involved 35 undergraduate females keeping journals about their feelings toward their deceased maternal or paternal grandfathers for one semester. Their journal entries were open-ended in order to explore an under-utilized qualitative and narrative-based approach to studying granddaughter-grandfather relationships, from the granddaughters' perspectives. The results demonstrated that the maternal grandfathers were the most frequently written about. In addition, the journals revealed differences in content depending on how old the granddaughters were when their grandfathers died, and various forms of sadness were expressed in over 50% of the entries. It was concluded that additional developmental research is needed on the impact of having deceased grandfathers on granddaughters' and grandsons' memories and emotions.

In Their Own Words

Group leadership from a bona fide group theory perspective was examined. Twenty-three effective group leaders were interviewed in depth about what they believe is important in leading groups. Five themes emerged: (a) establishing the intention for the overall project; (b) building the team and developing a positive group culture;(c) monitoring and managing the team’s interaction;(d) managing the group’s task and keeping the group focused;and (e) communication behaviors and personal characteristics of the leader. Effective group leaders take group leadership seriously and work at improving their performance and exhibit selfmonitoring and adaptive behaviors. Future research should examine how leaders learn to become effective, how they assess and balance competing goals of building relationships and completing tasks, and what experiences have been most influential. Findings verify the utility of the bona fide group perspective and also suggest dialectical and turning point theories as potentially useful perspectives for revealing further insights into effective group leadership.

Variations in Grandparenting

Grandparents are increasingly playing a significant role in the lives of their grandchildren, though surprisingly little is known about what actually happens within a grandparent-grandchild relationship. Researchers have often employed variable-centered approaches to predict levels of contact or quality in grandparent-grandchild relationships, masking variations in patterns of experience. We use a person-centered clustering methodology to identify patterns in the attributes and behaviors of older Americans who describe their relationship with an adolescent grandchild. Data are drawn from the Iowa Youth and Families Project and the Iowa Single Parent Project. These data include indicators of face-to-face contact, authority and discipline, instrumental assistance, interpersonal support, intimacy, and shared activities. Five distinct clusters of grandparents emerge from the analysis, who we have identified as influential, supportive, passive, authority-oriented, and detached. These five types are differentiated by relevant social factors and have implications for the quality and closeness of the grandparent-grandchild relationship.

Turning points in long distance grandparent-grandchild relationships

This study examines changes in long-distance relationships between grandparents and their adolescent grandchildren by identifying relational turning points and trajectories. Qualitative analysis of data collected from interviews with grandparents yielded 100 unique turning points. Constant comparative analysis revealed eight distinct categories of relational turning points; Spending Time Together, Family Relational Dynamics, Geographic Distance, Lack of Relational Investment, Use of Technology, Relational Investment, Lack of Free Time, and Grandchild Gaining Independence. These varied in the degree to which they positively or negatively impacted relational closeness. Application of the Retrospective Interview Technique (RIT) yielded five distinctive relational trajectories: Decrease in Closeness, Increase in Closeness, Multidimensional Changes in Closeness, Minimal Changes in Closeness, and Consistent Relational Closeness. The results expose the communicative challenges faced by long-distance-grandparents, the diversity of these relationships, and the ways in which grandparenting bonds change over time. Implications for an enriched understanding of grandparenting relationships and practical applications for families are explored.

Quality of Grandparent-Grandchild Relationship in Asian-Indian Immigrant Families

A sample of 112 Asian-Indian Immigrant grandchildren, age 10–16 years, from different parts of the United States completed survey questionnaires regarding the quality of relationship with their grandparents in India. The study explored the factors that affected the quality of relationship between two different generations living at considerable geographical distance and in different cultures. Findings indicated that role importance, amount of contact, and health of the grandparent uniquely contributed to the relationship quality. Results also indicated acculturation was not a significant predictor of relationship quality, although it was a significant predictor of role importance. Limitations to the study relative to acculturation scores and sampling are discussed and further research should address these limitations and the grandparent-parent relationship. Implications include adopting a tri-generational perspective in future studies and practice.

Employee reactions and adjustment to euthanasia-related work: identifying turning-point events through retrospective narratives

This study used a retrospective narrative procedure to examine the critical events that influence reactions and adjustment to euthanasia-related work of 35 employees who have stayed in the animal care and welfare field for at least 2 years. The study analyzed adjustment trajectory graphs and interview notes to identify turning-point events that spurred either a positive or negative change in shelter workers' psychological well-being. Analysis of the identified turning-point events revealed 10 common event themes that have implications for a range of work, personnel, and organizational practices. The article discusses implications for shelter, employee, and animal welfare.

Comparing grandchildren's and grandparents' stake in their relationship

This paper examines the intergenerational stake hypothesis in the grandparent-grandchild relationship. The hypothesis predicts that older generations will perceive more closeness in a relationship than younger generations. Grandparent-grandchild dyads are surveyed concerning various aspects of their relationship. Using measures of closeness and an established typology of grandparent-grandchild relationship style (Cherlin & Furstenberg, 1985), the study finds that grandparents perceive their relationship with their grandchildren to be considerably closer than their grandchildren perceive the relationship. However, their grandchildren perceive the relationship to be more active than their grandparents do. Explanations of these findings consistent with the intergenerational stake hypothesis are advanced. It is found that the two parties often disagree as to the nature of their relationship on the Cherlin and Furstenberg typology. Details of these disagreements are examined in detail, and implications for the grandparent-grandchild relationship are discussed.

Predictors of grandmother participation in a multigenerational study

Results of a growing body of literature regarding multigenerational relationships indicate that grandparents directly and indirectly influence their grandchildren's development. However, multiple generations have been difficult to assemble for research purposes, with refusal rates ranging from 40 percent to over 80 percent. Despite difficulties in obtaining information from more than one generation of family members, data examining potential biases in the selection of participants have rarely been reported. The present study explored predictors of grandmother participation in a multigenerational study with 84 mothers, 84 infants, and 52 maternal grandmothers. Results indicated that grandmothers were less likely to participate in the study when grandchildren experienced preterm birth and when mothers reported less family of origin support. However, grandmothers who participated in the study reported high levels of intergenerational involvement and contact with daughters and grandchildren.