Patience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 + and the psychosocial determinants of this deficit
Abstract Kinship care represents the most prevalent form of foster care in Poland. Most commonly, the role of kinship carers is taken on by grandparents, who may struggle with various problems, needs and deficits in this role. The aim of this study was to investigate the problem of patience in kinsh...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Geriatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04512-x |
| _version_ | 1797397720495816704 |
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| author | Marta Giezek Anna Wojtkowska Paulina Zabielska Beata Karakiewicz |
| author_facet | Marta Giezek Anna Wojtkowska Paulina Zabielska Beata Karakiewicz |
| author_sort | Marta Giezek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Kinship care represents the most prevalent form of foster care in Poland. Most commonly, the role of kinship carers is taken on by grandparents, who may struggle with various problems, needs and deficits in this role. The aim of this study was to investigate the problem of patience in kinship carers aged 60 + and its impact on deficits in the performance of roles and duties. Methods Seventy-five foster grandparents (63 female, 84%) aged from 61 to 97 years (M = 69,12; SD = 6.22) were investigated in north-western Poland in 2018 and 2019. The study was based on the diagnostic survey method. Results Psychological disposition, functioning, health problems and parental needs and deficits were assessed using standardised psychometric scales and tools self-constructed for this research study. A lack of patience with foster children was reported by 46.7% (n = 35) of the respondents. Patience deficits corresponded with a significantly lower sense of coherence, especially in the manageability domain (p < 0.001) and such stress coping strategies as lower positive reappraisal (p = 0.016) and seeking of emotional support (p = 0.025), as well as a greater tendency for suppression of activities (p = 0.014) and venting of emotions (p = 0.035). Relatively permanent personality traits and general self-efficacy were not differentiated by patience with children. Conclusions The results suggest that patience – so important for biological and foster parents – is related to psychological competencies that can be improved through psychoeducation and skills-training, which may be beneficial for improving foster carers’ effectiveness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:15:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-077341b95f304b54aa3a2d286d074b8b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2318 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:15:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Geriatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-077341b95f304b54aa3a2d286d074b8b2023-12-10T12:31:01ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182023-12-0123111010.1186/s12877-023-04512-xPatience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 + and the psychosocial determinants of this deficitMarta Giezek0Anna Wojtkowska1Paulina Zabielska2Beata Karakiewicz3Subdepartment of Social Medicine and Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in SzczecinFaculty of Psychology in Wroclaw, SWPS UniversitySubdepartment of Social Medicine and Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in SzczecinSubdepartment of Social Medicine and Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in SzczecinAbstract Kinship care represents the most prevalent form of foster care in Poland. Most commonly, the role of kinship carers is taken on by grandparents, who may struggle with various problems, needs and deficits in this role. The aim of this study was to investigate the problem of patience in kinship carers aged 60 + and its impact on deficits in the performance of roles and duties. Methods Seventy-five foster grandparents (63 female, 84%) aged from 61 to 97 years (M = 69,12; SD = 6.22) were investigated in north-western Poland in 2018 and 2019. The study was based on the diagnostic survey method. Results Psychological disposition, functioning, health problems and parental needs and deficits were assessed using standardised psychometric scales and tools self-constructed for this research study. A lack of patience with foster children was reported by 46.7% (n = 35) of the respondents. Patience deficits corresponded with a significantly lower sense of coherence, especially in the manageability domain (p < 0.001) and such stress coping strategies as lower positive reappraisal (p = 0.016) and seeking of emotional support (p = 0.025), as well as a greater tendency for suppression of activities (p = 0.014) and venting of emotions (p = 0.035). Relatively permanent personality traits and general self-efficacy were not differentiated by patience with children. Conclusions The results suggest that patience – so important for biological and foster parents – is related to psychological competencies that can be improved through psychoeducation and skills-training, which may be beneficial for improving foster carers’ effectiveness.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04512-xPatienceFoster careGrandparentsStress copingSense of coherence |
| spellingShingle | Marta Giezek Anna Wojtkowska Paulina Zabielska Beata Karakiewicz Patience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 + and the psychosocial determinants of this deficit BMC Geriatrics Patience Foster care Grandparents Stress coping Sense of coherence |
| title | Patience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 + and the psychosocial determinants of this deficit |
| title_full | Patience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 + and the psychosocial determinants of this deficit |
| title_fullStr | Patience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 + and the psychosocial determinants of this deficit |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 + and the psychosocial determinants of this deficit |
| title_short | Patience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 + and the psychosocial determinants of this deficit |
| title_sort | patience with foster children as a major problem for grandparents in the role of kinship carers aged 60 and the psychosocial determinants of this deficit |
| topic | Patience Foster care Grandparents Stress coping Sense of coherence |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04512-x |
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