Caregiver Stress Among Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: The Functional Role of Social Support

Drawing from family stress theory, this study examined the associations among caregiver stress, social support, and stress outcomes measured by life satisfaction and generativity among grandparents raising grandchildren. Social support was hypothesized to moderate the association between caregiver stress and stress outcome indicators. Using survey data from a non-probability sample of 133 grandparent caregivers with full-time responsibility of raising at least one grandchild, regression analysis demonstrated that caregiver stress is associated negatively with life satisfaction and generativity. Informal and formal social support was found to have a beneficial influence on stress outcomes that generalizes to grandparent caregiver participants regardless of the amount of stress they experience. Contrary to predictions, social support did not buffer the association between caregiver stress and life satisfaction nor the association between caregiver stress and generativity. A high degree of perceived informal support was found to function as a detriment to grandparents under conditions of high stress through lowered generativity. Results suggest the need to examine the functional role of social support in the caregiving context.