ZANATTA, Edinara    ARPINI, Dorian Mônica. Knowing the image, role and the relationship between grandmothers and their grandchildren: the perspective of maternal grandmothers. Estud. pesqui. psicol. []. 2017, 17, 1, pp.343-363. ISSN 1808-4281.

Considering the importance of grandparents in family contexts, this study aimed to investigate the ‘new' configurations of image, role and function of grandmothers who live in a city of the state of Rio Grande do Sul and experience a social-economic context of low income. We also intend to present some aspects of the relationship between grandmothers and their grandchildren. This is a qualitative study and the participants are 10 mothers whose adult daughters were living their first experiences of maternity and were attending a public health program for mothers and infants. As instruments for data collect we used a social-demographical form and a semi-directed interview. The results were analysed in accordance with the content analysis method, which indicated that grandmothers are relatively young women who perform an active role within the family and society. The participants described the relationship with their grandchildren as one characterized by feelings of satisfaction, affection and care, there were not found differences in the results according to the age of the mothers. It is important to emphasize the supportive role performed by grandmothers after the birth of a grandchild, when they become a reference for their daughters. Lastly, it is pointed out the importance of new studies involving grandmothers, considering their importance and implication on moments of family transitions, as it is for the birth of a grandchild.

: grandmothers; relationships between generations; maternity; relationship grandmother-grandchild.

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