Dolbin-MacNab Megan L, Smith Gregory C, Hayslip Bert
Virginia Tech.
Kent State University.
Fam Relat. 2021 Feb;70(1):225-245. Epub 2020 Sep 4.
This study examined how custodial grandmothers navigated the process of their grandchildren being reunified with a biological parent.
Prior research has focused on factors associated with unsuccessful reunification instead of resilient family processes that may support successful reunification. How custodial grandfamilies navigate reunification has not been examined, despite their unique relational configuration and grandparents' frequent involvement in raising their grandchildren.
Guided by Walsh's model of family resilience, semistructured, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 17 grandmothers whose custodial grandchildren had been reunified with a biological parent. Data analysis was guided by grounded theory methodology.
Grandmothers believed in parents fulfilling their obligations, prioritizing grandchildren's needs, and coping via their faith. Grandmothers supported reunified parents and children by providing emotional support and instrumental assistance, while maintaining clear role boundaries. Accessing resources and engaging in open family communication were helpful to the reunification, although there were still challenges in navigating family relationships.
Within custodial grandfamilies, not all reunifications were a positive outcome for the grandchildren. Grandmothers remained heavily involved in supporting and monitoring the reunifications, with the quality of the grandmother-parent relationship being paramount.
Practitioners should address family dynamics when working with custodial grandfamilies before, during, and after a reunification.
本研究考察了监护祖母如何应对孙辈与亲生父母团聚的过程。
先前的研究聚焦于与团聚失败相关的因素，而非可能支持成功团聚的坚韧家庭过程。尽管监护祖父母家庭有着独特的关系结构，且祖父母频繁参与孙辈的抚养，但他们如何应对团聚尚未得到研究。
以沃尔什的家庭复原力模型为指导，对17位监护孙辈已与亲生父母团聚的祖母进行了便利抽样的半结构化深度定性访谈。数据分析采用扎根理论方法。
祖母们认为父母应履行义务，优先考虑孙辈的需求，并通过信仰来应对。祖母们通过提供情感支持和实际帮助来支持团聚后的父母和孩子，同时保持明确的角色界限。获取资源和进行开放的家庭沟通有助于团聚，尽管在处理家庭关系方面仍存在挑战。
在监护祖父母家庭中，并非所有团聚对孙辈来说都是积极的结果。祖母们在支持和监督团聚过程中仍深度参与，祖母与父母关系的质量至关重要。
从业者在团聚前、团聚期间和团聚后与监护祖父母家庭合作时，应关注家庭动态。
