The Role Behaviors, Role Meanings, and Grandmothering Styles of Grandmothers and Stepgrandmothers

Based upon family stress theory, perceptions of step- grandmothers' and grandmothers' roles with grandchildren and step-grandchildren may be expected to impact stepfamily integration. To begin to address this issue, recently remarried mothers' perceptions of grandmothers' and stepgrandmothers' relations with grandchildren and stepgrandchildren were examined. The results provided considerable support for the hypotheses that the relationship type and sociodemographic variables would predict perceptions of grandmothers' and stepgrandmothers' role behaviors and role meanings. Implications for stepfamilies, family life practitioners, and further research are discussed.