University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grandparents as Interaction and Social Support Agents in Infancy

Tinsley, Barbara Rozalsky

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/68967

Description

Title
Grandparents as Interaction and Social Support Agents in Infancy
Author(s)
Tinsley, Barbara Rozalsky
Issue Date
1984
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Psychology, Developmental
Abstract
  • The contemporary role of grandparents in infancy was examined in a comparative analysis of grandparent-grandinfant and parent-infant interaction patterns. A second focus of the study was an exploration of the extent to which grandparents function as social support agents for their adult children and infant grandchild. Grandparents (30 grandmothers and 20 grandfathers) and parents (30 mothers and 30 fathers) of 7-month-old infants were observed in individual 5-minute dyadic play sessions with the infant in the parents' homes, yielding 20 minutes of agent-infant interaction. The observations were scored using both time-sampling and global coding schemes. Information on grandparental support to the young parents and infant, relative to other social support sources, were also obtained from grandparents and parents.
  • Results indicated that both grandmothers and grandfathers are active socialization and support agents, with a pattern of similarities and differences in interactive style across generation and gender. Moreover, certain factors were found to mediate grandparent interaction behavior (i.e., grandparent age and lineage). Variables modifying grandparent-grandinfant relationships are discussed, and a lifespan theoretical framework for the study of infant social development is offered.
Graduation Semester
1984
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/68967

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