The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Stress Health. 2019 Oct;35(4):503-515. doi: 10.1002/smi.2883. Epub 2019 Aug 8.
Grandparents play a significant role in modern society, often while struggling to juggle the expectations, demands, and commitments of career and family. The current study examined the unique and combined contribution of stress-related variables associated with multiple roles, such as work stress over commitment, economic stress, and grandchild care burden, to mental health and personal growth of first-time grandparents. The study also examined the role of family support as a moderator of these associations. One hundred ninety-seven first-time Israeli grandparents were asked to complete a series of self-report questionnaires. Higher levels of work-related stress were associated with lower mental health, whereas grandchild care burden was associated with higher personal growth. Self-mastery and family support contributed to the prediction of mental health. When family support was high, work commitment was positively related to mental health, and economic stress was positively related to personal growth. The findings point to the crucial role of family support in balancing and preserving resources that are important to the mental health of first-time grandparents, while enabling grandparents to be challenged and thrive through their stressors. Therapists who meet with first-time grandparents in the community should take these factors into account when assisting them in adjusting to their new role.
祖父母在现代社会中扮演着重要的角色，他们常常在努力应对职业和家庭的期望、需求和承诺。本研究考察了与多种角色相关的与压力相关的变量（如工作压力超过承诺、经济压力和照顾孙辈的负担）对首次当祖父母的心理健康和个人成长的独特和综合贡献。该研究还考察了家庭支持作为这些关联的调节因素的作用。197 名首次当祖父母的以色列人被要求完成一系列自我报告问卷。与工作相关的压力水平越高，心理健康水平越低，而照顾孙辈的负担与个人成长水平越高。自我掌控和家庭支持有助于预测心理健康。当家庭支持较高时，工作承诺与心理健康呈正相关，经济压力与个人成长呈正相关。研究结果表明，家庭支持在平衡和保护对首次当祖父母的心理健康很重要的资源方面起着至关重要的作用，同时使祖父母能够通过压力因素得到挑战和成长。在社区中与首次当祖父母会面的治疗师在帮助他们适应新角色时应该考虑这些因素。
