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African American Grandparent Caregivers: Stresses and Implications for Counselors

Georgia State University, kkelcholiver1{at}student.gsu.edu

Many grandparents today have the responsibility of caring for their grandchildren. Although caregiving grandparents come from all racial groups and social classes, single African American grandparents from urban, low-income households are represented at a higher rate than any other racial or ethnic group. As the number of grandparent-headed households continues to increase in society, so do their stressors, and the need to understand these families' experiences becomes more significant. The purpose of this article is to explore the experiences and stresses affecting African American grandparents who are the primary caregivers of their grandchildren. First, a general description of grandparent-headed families (GHF) is presented, followed by a brief history and discussion of the factors leading to GHF. Current research in the kinship care literature on GHF is reviewed. In conclusion, the author discusses research and clinical implications for family counselors working with these families.

Key Words: custodial grandparents • African Americans • family structure • stress • counseling interventions

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