The contributions of religious practice, existential certainty, and raising grandchildren to well-being in older adults

ABSTRACT

Religious beliefs and practices are believed to foster well-being across the life course. This study examines whether religious practice, spiritual development, and existential certainty are positively linked to well-being in grandparents (N = 2,503) and whether these factors buffer grandparents from risks associated with raising grandchildren and adjusting to changing roles. Data were collected from individuals attending Protestant churches. Spiritual development and existential certainty were positively associated with well-being. We found no evidence for buffering effects of religious practice on grandparent well-being. Grandparents raising grandchildren reported more challenges in adjusting to changes in roles compared to their peers.

KEYWORDS:

• Grandparents
• Grandparents raising grandchildren
• Well-being
• Religion and spirituality
• Existential certainty

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge FamilyLife Ministries for the opportunity to use data from the Family Needs Survey. Copyright © 1999–2009 by FamilyLife. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of FamilyLife (FLTI, Inc.). For more information on FamilyLife, visit www.familylife.com. We also appreciate the useful recommendations of anonymous reviewers.