Knowledge, stress and coping patterns of grandmothers in child-rearing practices

Introduction: Grandmothers are an essential part of the extended family. In modern culture, grandparents frequently have a direct role in the care of grandchildren. Grandmothers have a powerful and prominent role within the family and usually when the mother is working the grandmothers takes charge of child-rearing. Aim: To assess the knowledge, stress and coping patterns of grandmothers involved in child-rearing practices of children of employed mothers in selected areas of Udupi district, Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive study was conducted in Udupi taluk of Udupi district. Villages of Udupi taluk were selected randomly and the samples were selected by purposive sampling techniques. A total of 300 grandmothers involved in child-rearing practices of children of employed mothers were assessed with the help of a structured questionnaire. Results: The result showed that grandmothers had average knowledge, moderate stress and high coping in regard to child-rearing practices. A statistically significant association was found between knowledge score and selected variables such as educational status (χ²=13.768, p=0.022), family income (χ²=14.363, p=0.016) and previous work experience (χ²=15.77, p<0.001). A statistically significant association was also found between levels of stress score with family income (χ²=17.028, p=0.005) and between levels of coping score with demographic variables. There was a negative correlation between the stress and coping and there was a weak positive correlation between the knowledge and the coping patterns of grandmothers. Conclusion: Caring for a grandchild may be stressful for grandmothers. The study suggests that when the grandmothers take care of grandchildren their views should also be considered as it may reduce stress among them and helps to lead a positive life.