An Exploratory Study on the Relationship between Children who have Experienced Parental Divorce and Grandparents Living with Them

Abstract

　　This study explored and examined the relationship between children who have experienced parental divorce and grandparents living with them, including the impact of factors like the presence of the grandparents and the mental images and feelings that the children have toward their them. To that end, six college students who had experienced parental divorce were individually surveyed using a personal attitude construct (PAC) analysis. Results suggested that grandparents are important providers of support as the parent and child rebuild their lives. In some cases, grandparents play a role in preventing the suffering and loneliness that children experience after their parents’ divorce. However, unexpected cohabitation with one’s children or grandchildren may create the opportunity for one to question one’s own role as a grandparent and, moreover, to reevaluate one’s relationship with one’s children.