Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by difficulties in communication and social-emotional interaction. It is associated with an increase of parental stress and poor family functioning, both of which are harmful for a child's functioning and adaptive behavior. An important source of support to parents are…

The ecologies of Bedouin communities in Israel have changed in recent generations. This mixed-method study examines how such changes have augmented psychological mindedness and a willingness to accept professional psychological help. Twenty-one adolescent girls, their mothers, and their grandmothers responded to dilemmas regarding aspects of…

This correlational study examined perceived personal growth among couples who recently became grandparents, investigating its association with attachment style, self-differentiation, and the perceived growth of the spouse. In addition, the background variables of age, education, and physical health were examined. The sample consisted of 206…

The study examined personal growth among new grandfathers (n = 101, age 45-67), 2 to 24 months after the birth of their first grandchild. Specifically, it investigated the contribution of internal resources (self-esteem), perceived characteristics of the situation (grandparenthood distress and cognitive appraisals of threat, challenge, and…

The current study examines the contribution of optimism, self-mastery, perceived social support, and background variables (age, physical health, economic status) to mental health following the transition to grandparenthood. The sample consisted of 257 first-time Israeli grandparents (grandmothers and grandfathers, maternal and paternal) who were…

Although becoming a grandmother represents an important transition in a woman's life, it has received scant research attention. This study used the model of growth developed by Schaefer and Moos in an attempt to identify personal and environmental resources that may contribute to a first-time maternal grandmother's mental health and her…

Previous research has shown that "mediated learning experience" ("MLE") strategies are important for the development of cognitive skills. Theoretically, grandparents have a significant role in the intergenerational transmission of MLE strategies. The purpose of this study is to investigate the resemblances and unique…

The unique contribution of grandparents to families of children with and without disabilities is often overlooked in the clinical and empirical literature. Perceptions and practice of teachers regarding grandparents were examined. Eighty-two special education teachers and 80 teachers from regular classes completed a 30-item questionnaire tapping…

Grandparents (n=152) and their adult children (n=76) described their families, and 38 kindergarten-age children were evaluated. The generational transfer of family dynamics was confirmed. Parents from both sides influenced emotional ties, but only the paternal side influenced the way families established structure, roles, and discipline. (SK)

Notes change in central position held by old people in traditional Jewish-Oriental family and society following migration to Israel. Changing attitudes within family are reflected in discussions by disadvantaged soldiers of Oriental origin in classes for basic training in Israeli army and by answers of fifth-grade children to questions on their…

In the Yemenite and Kurdish communities in Israel, the modernization of infant-rearing ideologies was investigated through interviews of grandmothers and granddaughters. Interviews focused on prenatal care and fetal development, delivery and treatment of the participant, and infant care and expectations for development. (Author/MP)

Compared the transitions to adoptive and biological parenthood. Adoptive parents had more positive expectations and satisfying experiences than biological parents. Expectations and depressive mood predicted parental experiences for both groups; ego strength for biological parents; and feelings of deprivation, social support, and self-concept for…