The Role of Grandparents in the Lives of Families with Children with Disabilities: A Theoretical Review
Author(s)
Ksenia A. Bozhenkova, Candidate of Sciences (Psychology), Senior Research Fellow, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4193-1613, Author ID: 817776, Institute of Special Education
8 Pogodinskaya St, Bldg. 1, Moscow, 119121, Russia, Tel: +7 (499) 2450452;
Leading Analyst, Russian Academy of Education
8 Pogodinskaya St, Bldg. 1, Moscow, 119121, Russia, tel: +7 (499) 2450655, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Svetlana B. Lazurenko, Doctor of Sciences (Pedagogy), Professor, Corresponding Member, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0642-8545, Russian Academy of Education, Head, Center for Inclusive Education Development of the Russian Academy of Education, Author ID: 364451
8 Pogodinskaya St, Moscow, 119121, Russia, tel: +7 (499) 2450655;
Chief Researcher, The Federal State, Budget Scientific Institution, Institute of Special Education
8, Pogodinskaya St, Bldg. 1, Moscow, 119121, Russia, tel:+7 (499) 2450452, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Abstract. Introduction. The article is a theoretical review and systematization of foreign publications devoted to the study of the specifics of the participation of grandparents in the system of family relations, which allowed us to identify the main key areas of psychological and pedagogical assistance based on a scientific analysis of the needs of this category.
Materials and Methods. The study is based on a theoretical analysis of psychological and pedagogical literature on the problem of the participation of grandparents in family relations. The publications posted in ResearchGate and Scopus electronic databases from 2018 to 2023 were examined. The review includes 50 studies that cover the results of the participation of 353 parents and more than 800 grandparents. The analysis was conducted with current data on intergenerational interaction, the role of grandparents in the upbringing and supporting families of a child with disabilities.
Results. The theoretical analysis of scientific articles made it possible to identify the most significant and key variables that are the main indicators of the degree of participation of grandparents in the family life of a child with disabilities. Such variables include: the nature of intra-family relations, the functioning of the family system, the attitude to the disease and the peculiarities of the mental development of a child with disabilities, the quality of life of the grandparents.
Conclusion. The results of the review of foreign studies emphasize the need for an integrated approach to the study and support of grandparents raising children with disabilities, taking into account their family context and individual needs. The main areas that can become targets for psychological and pedagogical work include the following: family structure, age factor, physical and psychological state of the family, resources and support for the family at each stage, public support.
Keywords: grandparent, intergenerational communication, children with disabilities, intra-family roles, parents of children with disabilities, quality of life, physical health, mental health, labor potential, family traditions
For citation: Bozhenkova K.A., Lazurenko S.B. The Role of Grandparents in the Lives of Families with Children with Disabilities: A Theoretical Review. Pedagogicheskiy IMIDZH = Pedagogical IMAGE. 2025; 19 (1). Pp. 122-136. (In Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.32343/2409-5052-2025-19-1-122-136
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32343/2409-5052-2025-19-1-122-136
UDС: 376.1;316.356.2
The article was submitted to the editorial office on 04.12.2024, approved after review on 03.03.2025, and accepted for publication on 05.03.2025.