Abstract
A new set of inventories designed to examine the multidimensional experience of grandparenthood (MEG) was developed in four stages. Three hundred thirteen grandparents (181 women and 132 men; age range, 46 to 92 years) were asked to complete a series of questionnaires to validate the final structure of the MEG, which consists of 11 factors configured as four dimensions: cognitive (personal investment and personal cost), affective (positive and negative feelings), symbolic (meaning, compensation for parenthood, continuity, and burden), and behavioral (emotional support, contribution to upbringing, and instrumental support). Associations were examined among the four dimensions of the MEG and the hierarchy of roles in grandparents' life, the Caregiving-System Scale, the Big Five Personality Inventory factors, the Social Desirability Scale, and sociodemographic data. The discussion focuses on the validity and utility of the multidimensional conceptualization of the experience of grandparenthood.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 237-253 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Social Work Research |
Volume | 37 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Sep 2013 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- construction
- grandparenthood
- inventories
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Sociology and Political Science