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New grandparents’ mental health: the protective role of optimism, self-mastery, and social support
- Authors:
- SHLOMO Shirley Ben, TAUBMAN-BEN-ARI Orit
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Family Social Work, 15(4), July 2012, pp.254-271.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
First-time grandparents report conflicting feelings in the wake of the transition to their new role. The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of optimism, self-mastery, perceived social support, and background variables (age, physical health, economic status) to mental health following the transition to grandparenthood. The sample consisted of 257 first-time Israeli grandparents (156 grandmothers and 101 grandfathers), of whom 151 were maternal grandparents and 106 were paternal grandparents. The participants were asked to complete a series of self-report questionnaires. Analysis was conducted to examine: differences between grandparents by gender and lineage; associations between mental health and the independent variables; and the unique and combined contribution of the independent variables to the mental health of new grandparents. The results indicate the importance of internal and external resources, as well as of health and economic status, for the mental health of new grandparents. The value of designing relevant preventive interventions by family social workers to assist grandparents in coping with their new role is discussed.
Parental self-efficacy and stress-related growth in the transition to parenthood: a comparison between parents of pre- and full-term babies
- Authors:
- SPIELMAN Varda, TAUBMAN-BEN-ARI Orit
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Work, 34(3), August 2009, pp.201-212.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The purpose of this study was to examine how the unique circumstances of the birth of a premature baby affect the perception of parental self-efficacy (individuals' expectations and levels of confidence regarding their capacity to carry out the parental role skilfully and efficiently) and stress-related growth (the experience of positive change following stressful circumstances) among first-time parents, and the contribution of the parents' personal resources of self-esteem and attachment style, and their infant's temperament and medical condition, to their self-efficacy and stress-related growth. The participants were 49 sets of parents of preterm babies and 50 sets of parents of full-term babies, who completed questionnaires about one month after the birth of their child; the babies were born in a central urban hospital in Israel. The study found that parents of premature infants reported a higher level of stress-related growth than those of full-term infants, but there was no difference between them on parental self-efficacy. The authors conclude that professional guidance during pregnancy, aimed at expanding parents' knowledge and understanding of the changes they can expect to undergo, may enhance a positive experience of growth in the transition to parenthood, and that active social work intervention will enable parents to continue to care for their child with a sense of confidence and a practical and emotional understanding of the child's developmental needs.
Mothers' martial adaptation following the birth of twins or singletons: empirical evidence and practical insights
- Authors:
- TAUBMAN-BEN-ARI Orit, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Work, 33(3), August 2008, pp.189-197.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Parenting twins is typically portrayed as more stressful than is parenting single children and, therefore, more of a strain on the marital relationship. With this in mind, the present study examined the contribution of infant characteristics and mother's internal resources (attachment style) and external resources (maternal and paternal grandmothers' perceived support) to their marital adaptation during the first month following delivery, comparing mothers of twins (n = 88) with mothers of singletons (n = 82) in Israel. The findings indicate that both internal and external resources contribute to the marital adaptation of the two groups, even beyond the contribution of specific circumstances. Thus, it seems that the birth of twins and the birth of a single child are normative life events that have more in common than previously acknowledged. The implications for the focus of social work interventions, particularly in the case of the birth of twins, are discussed.
When couples become grandparents: factors associated with the growth of each spouse
- Authors:
- TAUBMAN-BEN-ARI Orit, FINDLER Liora, SHLOMO Shirley Ben
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Research, 37(1), 2013, pp.26-36.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This correlational study examined perceived personal growth among couples who recently became grandparents, investigating its association with attachment style, self-differentiation, and the perceived growth of the spouse. In addition, the background variables of age, education, and physical health were examined. The sample consisted of 206 Israeli couples who were approached six to 24 months after the birth of their first grandchild. The results showed that grandmothers reported higher growth than grandfathers. Lower education, lower attachment anxiety, and higher perceived growth of the spouse were associated with the perceived growth of both men and women, in the regression analysis. Older age and lower physical health, along with higher self-differentiation among less educated women, were also found to be connected to the perceived personal growth of grandmothers. Furthermore, higher avoidant attachment was associated with less growth among healthier grandparents and with more perceived growth among less healthy grandfathers. Hence, both the individual's internal resources and his or her partner's perception of growth were associated with self-reported growth in the transition to grandparenthood. The study not only sheds further light on the potential for growth inherent in the transition to grandparenthood, but also provides the first indications of associations related to sharing this experience with a spouse. (Publisher abstract)