A Qualitative Study on Child-rearing by Grandparents

조부모의 손자녀 양육실제에 관한 질적 연구

Qualitative research was used to discover factors, relationships, and practices affecting rearing of a grandchild by grandparents. Results showed that the grandparents' motives for rearing a grandchild were parental obligation and responsibility, the fate of unavoidable situations, feelings of worth and affection, helping household economy, and absence of another reliable place for child-rearing. Grandchild-rearing roles included substitute mother, disciplinarian, and playmate. Grandchild-rearing difficulties included such psychological problems as insufficient time for their own selves, concern that they might also raise another grandchild, conflicts with family members, economic problems, and physical problems such as grandparents' worsening health conditions, double pressures of housework and childcare, and stress from loss of memory and fatigue.