Adolescent mothers and grandparents: Perspectives on family interaction and relationships

Adolescent mothers often seek support from their parents while transitioning into the role of parenthood. Support and interaction from the grandparent(s) is important in determining the adolescent's attitude about parenting and impact on the development of the child. In this study, homes both with and without grandfathers were studied to determine differences between single grandparent and dual-grandparent homes. Adolescent mothers and grandparents were interviewed separately in a one-on-one semistructured open-ended interview. Findings indicate themes of importance and identify the positives and negatives of co-residency from the perspective of the mother and grandparents. Grandfather presence or absence seems to have an impact on attitudes about co-residency and the ability to cope with difficulties. Implications for parenting programs and future research are given.