McCallion, P., Janicki, M. P., & Kolomer, S. R. (2004).
Controlled evaluation of Support Groups for Grandparent Caregivers for Children with Developmental Disabilities and Delays. American Association on Mental Retardation, 109(5), 352–361. https://doi.org/10.1352/0895-8017(2004)1092.0.CO;2
Type of Study:
Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants:
97
Population:
- Age — Mean=60 years
- Race/Ethnicity — 79% African American
- Gender — 94% Female
- Status — Participants were grandparents caring for children with developmental delays.
Location/Institution:
New York City
Summary:
(To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a support group intervention for grandparents (Support Groups for Grandparent Caregivers of Children with Developmental Disabilities and Delays) caring for children with developmental disabilities. Participants were randomly assigned to Support Groups for Grandparent Caregivers of Children with Developmental Disabilities and Delays or wait-list control conditions. Measures utilized include the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CESD), the Family Empowerment Scale, and the Caregiving Mastery Scale. Results indicate that significant reductions in symptoms of depression and increases in sense of empowerment and caregiving mastery were found for the Support Groups for Grandparent Caregivers of Children with Developmental Disabilities and Delays group. Limitations include lack of generalizability due to few grandfathers, persons of other ethnic backgrounds, and lack of variation in SES; reliance on self-reported measures; and length of follow-up.
Length of controlled postintervention follow-up:
3 and 6 months.
