Psychological Well-being of Grandmothers Rearing Children in Korea

• In Event: 598 - Section on Sociology of Mental Health Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 16. Well-being, Happiness, and Distress

Abstract

Using the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA) 2006, this paper examines the influence of rearing grandchildren on grandmothers’ psychological well-being. It also examines the effect of social support on grandmothers’ mental health and the moderating effect of social support. Many previous studies argue that rearing grandchildren has a negative impact on the caregiver’s mental health, but also assert that social support allows grandmothers to buffer and cope with stressors originating from rearing practice. This paper reveals that not only the negative impact of rearing grandchildren on grandmother’s mental health is differentiated by the rearing hour, but also social support/integration promotes grandmother’s psychological well-being. No buffering effect of social support is identified in this paper.

Author

• Ki Tae Park, University of Hawaii