| ObjectiveThe study was aimed to explore the psychological status of grandparenting caregivers and its influencing factors,probe into the path of role adaptation,social participation and self-esteem on their well-being,the influence of grandparenting on the social mental health of grandparents,explain their experience of caring for grandchildren,and excavate the factors affecting their well-being so as to provide evidence to promote the mental health of grandparenting caregivers.MethodIn this study,quantitative research and qualitative research were used to analyze the psychological status and explore the influencing factors.Structural equation model was used to explore the psychological mechanism among variables.1.Quantitative study on mental health and influencing mechanism of grandparenting caregivers: a self-designed general information questionnaire was used to facilitate the selection of 311 grandparenting caregivers and 296non-grandparenting caregivers who met the inclusion criteria.World Health Organization Five-item Well-Being Index,The Self-Esteem Scale,Self-rated Health Measurement Scale,The Geriatric Depression Scale-15,Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire were also to conduct the questionnaire survey.SPSS 21.0 statistical software was used for statistical analysis,statistical methods included: descriptive statistics,t-test,one-way analysis of variance,multiple linear regression analysis andso on.AMOS 23.0 statistical software was used for structural equation model.2.Qualitative study on mental health and influencing factors of grandparenting caregivers: a semi-structured interview and participatory observation were conducted among 15 grandparenting caregivers who were recruited in the previous survey,in order to probe into the deep feeling and experience of grandparenting caregivers,and the influencing factors of their mental health were explored.Results1.The happiness index score of grandparenting caregivers were(16.93±4.48).Self-esteem score was(30.84±3.47).The mental health score of grandparenting caregivers was(114.96±17.42),and the social health score was(85.13±15.22).The scores of positive emotion,psychological symptom,negative emotion and cognitive activity in the three dimensions of mental health subscales were(39.42±6.65),(55.55±9.57)and(20.04±4.56),respectively.The scores of role adaptation,social participation and social support in the three dimensions of social health subscales were(30.09±4.97),(34.90±7.92)and(20.16 ±5.22)respectively.2.One-way ANOVA showed that there were statistically significant differences in the happiness index between different number of chronic diseases and number of grandchildren and relationship satisfaction of adult children,as well as degree of education and degree of consistency with adult children's concept of child rearing among the grandparenting caregivers(P<0.05).3.Based on the results of One-way ANOVA and correlation analysis,the happiness index was analyzed by stepwise multiple linear regression.The results showed that positive emotion,satisfaction with the relationship with adult children,the amount of chronic diseases and positive coping entered the model.A total of28.8% of the total variation was explained.4.One-way ANOVA showed that,there were significant differences in happiness index,role adaptation,social participation,social support,positive emotion,cognitive function and positive coping style among the three groups,grandparents who were never raising grandchildren,who had raising grandchildren experience butwere not currently involved in raising grandchildren,and who had been involved in raising grandchildren(P<0.05),but no significant difference in the scores of self-esteem,depression and negative coping style.5.The structural equation model showed that the self-esteem of grandparenting caregivers didn't have direct effect on their well-being,but could indirectly affect well-being through social participation,or through role adaptation acting on positive emotion,which accounted for 24.4% of the total variation of well-being.The model fitting indexes were fitted well.6.The results of qualitative interview showed that the psychological experience of grandparenting caregivers included positive perceptions such as well-being,sense of achievement,sense of worth,as well as negative experience such as poor emotion,physical discomfort,interpersonal conflict,social restriction and so on.Physical condition,willingness to raise,coping strategies and other personal factors,as well as relationship with grandparent,social support,family harmony and other external factors all affected their mental health.Conclusion1.The overall psychological status of grandparenting caregivers was good.But there were also psychological problems.2.Grandparents who were involved in raising grandchildren had better mental health than those who did not,and grandparents who were not currently involved in raising grandchildren,but had upbringing grandchildren experience,were more involved in society than grandparents who have no upbringing grandchildern experience.3.Self-esteem could indirectly affected the well-being of grandparenting caregivers through social participation,as well as through role adaptation acting on positive emotion.Positive emotion,satisfaction with the relationship with adult children,positive coping with the happiness index of grandparenting caregivers,and the number of chronic diseases reverse predicted happiness index.4.It is suggested that community workers should carry out leisure andrecreational activities,scientific parenting and psychological stress adjustment strategy lectures suitable for grandparenting caregivers to help them adapt to the role of raising grandchildren,enhance social participation,ease the conflict with their adult children,improve family relations and buffer negative emotion.Government departments should establish short-term childcare services,give grandparents a certain living space,alleviate the pressure of upbringing,in order to promote their mental health. |
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