Factors affecting resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander grandmothers raising their grandchildren
Other Publication ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Grandmothers have reported negative social pressures that have affected their psychological and social functioning in their roles as primary carers. As grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren are in effect addressing and interrupting the intergenerational transfer of trauma and distress, it is critical to support the grannies who take up this important role. This study utilised a positive psychology framework in order to investigate resilience in a sample of urban Aboriginal1 grandmothers who are raising, or have raised, their grandchildren. Data was collected during seven semistructured individual face-to-face interviews. Qualitative analysis was conducted using a grounded theory method in order to reduce data to theoretical categories reflecting areas of strength of the grandmothers. Grandmothers described gaining support and strength from the interaction between psychological and socio-cultural factors. These factors included developing and maintaining social networks, maintaining traditional kinship structure, participating in traditional adoption, participating in employment, spiritual belief, acceptance of life situations, self-reliance, implementing problem-solving skills, and flexibility of responses. This study provides an Aboriginal perspective on positive mental health in the context of raising grandchildren. As grandparents are becoming increasingly involved in the rearing of grandchildren, these results have implications for delivery of culturally sensitive support programs to this community.
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Urban health: strengthening our voices, culture and partnerships
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978-1-922102-03-4
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16
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Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
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Canberrra, ACT
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