Hs. Ghuman et al., Demographic and clinical characteristics of emotionally disturbed childrenbeing raised by grandparents, PSYCH SERV, 50(11), 1999, pp. 1496-1498
Among 233 youths treated at a community mental health center 51 were living
with their grandparents. Youths who lived with grandparents were more like
ly to be male, African American, and younger. Frequent psychiatric diagnose
s included oppositional defiant disorder depressive disorders, and anxiety
disorders. Common reasons for youths' placement with grandparents included
parents' absence, substance abuse, or incarceration; abuse by parents; and
death of parents. Caregivers were most often maternal grandmothers, and mor
e than one-third of the grandmothers were age 62 or older The findings high
light the need to develop treatment interventions for youths who are living
with their grandparents and to create public policies to support grandpare
nt caregivers.