Fruhauf Christine A, Mendoza Angela Nancy, Fox Aimee L, Greenwood-Junkermeier Heather, Riggs Nathaniel R, Yancura Loriena A
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 29;19(7):4027. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19074027.
Custodial grandparents experience greater physical health declines and higher rates of depression than their same-age peers who do not provide care, and grandchildren in grandfamilies often have behavior problems. However, few researchers have explored the impact of self-care education on decreasing these negative outcomes. Our study examined how a self-care and life-skills intervention influenced health behavior change in a sample of grandparents and grandchildren.
Data were collected during eleven focus groups (and two interviews) with 55 grandparents, and one focus group with five grandchildren, at 6 months after the 6-week intervention detailed in this paper. Grandparents ranged in age from 46 to 84 years old ( = 62.19, = 8.24). Participating grandchildren ranged in age from 9 to 12 years old. Focus group transcripts were coded for content related to grandparents' and grandchildren's positive behavior changes following the intervention.
Grandparents reported taking more time for themselves, reducing negative self-talk, increasing healthy physical choices, and having better communication skills after participating in the intervention. Similarly, grandchildren reported increased confidence in making friends, making good decisions, and getting along with others. Findings suggest that a self-care and life skills program show promise for improving the health and wellness of grandfamilies.
与不提供照料的同龄人相比，监护祖父母的身体健康状况下降更明显，患抑郁症的比例更高，而大家庭中的孙辈往往存在行为问题。然而，很少有研究探讨自我护理教育对减少这些负面结果的影响。我们的研究考察了一项自我护理和生活技能干预措施如何影响祖父母和孙辈样本中的健康行为变化。
在本文详细介绍的为期6周的干预措施实施6个月后，我们对55位祖父母进行了11次焦点小组访谈（以及2次单独访谈），对5位孙辈进行了1次焦点小组访谈，收集了相关数据。祖父母的年龄在46岁至84岁之间（平均年龄=62.19岁，标准差=8.24岁）。参与的孙辈年龄在9岁至12岁之间。对焦点小组访谈的文字记录进行编码，以获取与干预后祖父母和孙辈的积极行为变化相关的内容。
祖父母报告称，参与干预后，他们给自己留出了更多时间，减少了消极的自我对话，增加了健康的身体选择，并且沟通技巧有所提高。同样地，孙辈报告称在交友、做出正确决定以及与他人相处方面更有信心。研究结果表明，一项自我护理和生活技能计划有望改善大家庭的健康状况。
