OBSERVED PARENTING ASPECTS OF CHILD COMPLIANCE IN CUSTODIAL GRANDFAMILIES

For a myriad of reasons, custodial grandchildren are generally at greater risk of behavioral and emotional difficulties, such as hyperactivity-inattention (HI) (Smith & Palmieri, 2007). Custodial grandmothers (N = 170) completed self-report measures assessing child HI, expressive social support, and custodial grandmother-grandchild compliance variables. Grandmothers and their grandchildren aged 4 through 12 also completed an observational task that captured their interactions. A multivariate analysis of covariance tested differences between high and low hyperactivity-inattention on observed parenting variables while controlling for child age. As there were significant differences between child age and observed parenting variables, a subsequent hierarchical regression model revealed that when controlling for age, child hyperactivity-inattention did not moderate the relationship between commands given by a custodial grandmother and child compliance, but instead revealed that direct commands from the grandmother predicted child compliance. A second hierarchical regression model suggested that encouragement and praise (versus criticism and discouragement) from a grandmother functioned differently across types of commands given, when controlling for child age. It appeared that when grandmothers gave indirect commands more frequently, encouragement and praise instead of criticism was associated with greater compliance. In dyads with frequent direct commands given, compliance was high. However children in dyads who scored high in direct commands accompanied by criticism and discouragement were most likely to comply. This study adds to the knowledge base regarding the nature of grandmother caregiver-grandchild interaction by providing insight into the child-rearing challenges and strengths faced by grandmothers in this unique population.