Prior research demonstrates that custodial grandchildren have often experienced adversity and disruption to their attachments with birth parents due to events such as parental substance abuse, maltreatment, death, or incarceration (Hayslip & Fruhauf, 2017).
These adverse childhood experiences put custodial grandchildren at heightened risk for internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as other socioemotional difficulties (Hayslip & Fruhauf, 2017).
At the same time, grandparents who assume the custodial parenting role also experience stressors related to social stigma, financial hardship, and conflict with birth parents that can negatively impact family relationships (Meyer & Abdul-Malak, 2016).
Blake, A. J., Infurna, F. J., Castro, S. A., Webster, B. A., Dolbin-MacNab, M. L., Smith, G. C., Crowley, D. M., & Musil, C. (2023). Intergenerational patterns of attachment in custodial grandfamilies. Journal of Family Psychology, 37(8), 1148–1158. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001150
Key Points
- This study identified three profiles of attachment insecurity among grandmothers, grandchildren, and birth mothers in custodial grandfamilies: isolated mother, grandchild-linked, and disconnected.
- Grandchildren in families with insecure attachment between all family members (“disconnected”) displayed the worst emotional, behavioral, and social outcomes.
- However, when grandchildren had insecure attachment to birth mothers but secure attachment to custodial grandmothers (“isolated mother”), they showed resilience and better socioemotional functioning.
- A secure caregiver-child attachment relationship may buffer the negative impacts of disrupted attachment with birth parents after entering custodial grandparent care.
- Interventions aiming to improve communication and attachment security between custodial grandparents and grandchildren may promote child resilience.
Rationale
While studies have examined relationship closeness and support between custodial grandparents and grandchildren, little prior research has specifically investigated attachment patterns in grandfamilies, particularly from the perspectives of both the grandchild and grandparent.
Grandfamilies experience multiple disruptions and reorganizations of attachment relationships – between the grandchild and birth parent when the child is removed from parental custody, and between the grandchild and custodial grandparent as they build a new caregiving bond (Poehlmann, 2003). Studying intergenerational attachment patterns can provide critical insight into these complex family dynamics.
Moreover, no studies have classified grandfamilies into subgroups based on profiles of attachment insecurity across the grandparent-grandchild-birth-parent triad.
Identifying such attachment profiles and linking them to child socioemotional outcomes would elucidate which patterns of attachment disruption most negatively impact grandchildren.
This could inform interventions aimed at repairing ruptured relationships and promoting child resilience by strengthening new caregiving bonds within grandfamilies.
Method
The sample included 230 custodial grandmother-grandchild dyads. Grandmothers and grandchildren completed self-report measures on attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety regarding their relationships with each other and with the grandchild’s birth mother.
Sample
- 230 custodial grandmother-adolescent grandchild dyads
- Grandchildren aged 11-18 years (M=14.18 years)
- 73.9% maternal grandmother, 26.1% paternal grandmother
- 60.9% granddaughters, 39.1% grandsons
- 55.2% Non-Hispanic White, 44.8% racial/ethnic minority
- Grandmothers: M=61.34 years old; 51.7% single; 32.6% racial/ethnic minority
Statistical measures
Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify attachment profiles. Associations between profile membership and grandchild outcomes were tested with automatic BCH analyses. Multinomial logistic regressions tested demographic differences between profiles.
Results
The LPA identified three profiles of attachment insecurity:
Here are brief elaborations on each of the three attachment profiles identified in the study:
- Isolated mother (42.6%): In the “isolated mother” profile, grandchildren felt high attachment anxiety and avoidance toward birth mothers.
However, custodial grandmothers and grandchildren had secure attachment relationships characterized by low attachment avoidance and anxiety.
This suggests grandchildren were able to form a close bond with custodial grandmothers that helped compensate for insecure relationships with birth mothers.
Grandchildren in isolated mother families showed the greatest resilience. - Grandchild-linked (40%): The “grandchild-linked” profile reflects families in which grandchildren had fairly secure attachments to both custodial grandmothers and birth mothers.
However, custodial grandmothers showed heightened attachment avoidance toward birth mothers. This could indicate strained relationships between custodial grandparents and the grandchildren’s birth mothers. - Disconnected (17.4%): In the “disconnected” profile, all three family members – custodial grandmothers, grandchildren, and birth mothers – showed elevated attachment avoidance and anxiety toward one another. Grandchildren in the disconnected profile showed the worst emotional, behavioral, and social outcomes.
This suggests disrupted caregiving bonds and interpersonal challenges across the entire grandfamily triad.
Insight
These results suggest that while entering grandparent care often disrupts child-parent attachment, secure attachment between custodial grandmothers and grandchildren can protect against negative impacts on socioemotional functioning.
This aligns with broader evidence that secure attachments to new caregivers promote resilience in children separated from parents (Masten, 2001).
Clinically, findings indicate interventions that improve communication and attachment within the grandmother-grandchild relationship may buffer effects of insecure attachment to birth mothers.
Such interventions could aid the millions of U.S. custodial grandfamilies struggling with attachment disruptions.
Strengths
- Included reports from both grandchildren and grandmothers
- Used validated measures of attachment insecurity and child outcomes
- Person-centered LPA approach identified nuanced attachment profiles
- Diverse grandfamily sample enhances generalizability
- Considered relationships with all three members of grandfamily triad
Limitations
- Cross-sectional, so causality cannot be determined
- Did not have birth mother self-reports
- Sample obtained online, so may not generalize fully
- Did not account for the involvement of child welfare systems
- Did not examine the longitudinal impacts of attachment interventions
Implications
These results suggest custodial grandparent families would benefit from interventions and services aimed at improving attachment security between grandparents and grandchildren.
For example, attachment-based family therapy focusing on emotion regulation, communication, and responsiveness could strengthen these relationships and promote better socioemotional development for children.
Policymakers should consider provisions to make such clinical services more accessible to grandfamilies, given their risk for attachment disruptions. Future research should also continue investigating attachment patterns and interventions among diverse grandfamilies.
References
Primary reference
Blake, A. J., Infurna, F. J., Castro, S. A., Webster, B. A., Dolbin-MacNab, M. L., Smith, G. C., Crowley, D. M., & Musil, C. (2023). Intergenerational patterns of attachment in custodial grandfamilies. Journal of Family Psychology, 37(8), 1148–1158. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001150
Other references
Hayslip, B., Jr., & Fruhauf, C. A. (2017). Grandparenting in the United States: Cultural and subcultural diversity. In D. W. Shwalb & Z. Hossain (Eds.), Grandparents in cultural context (pp. 41–59). Routledge.
Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic. Resilience processes in development. American Psychologist, 56(3), 227–238. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.227
Meyer, M. H., & Abdul-Malak, Y. (2016). Grandparenting in the United States. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315231624
Poehlmann, J. (2003). An attachment perspective on grandparents raising their very young grandchildren: Implications for intervention and research. Infant Mental Health Journal, 24(2), 149–173. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.10047
Keep Learning
- How might child welfare systems and policies better support healthy attachment relationships in grandfamilies?
- Could longitudinal research on grandfamily interventions inform developmental theory about attachment across childhood and adolescence?
- What cultural factors may shape attachment patterns and child outcomes among diverse grandfamilies?
