Exploring family resilience processes in a low socio-economic grandmother-headed household with HIV affected orphans

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the processes of family resilience within a grandmother-headed household, caring for orphaned grandchildren, in a low socio-economic South African community. To do so, the researcher posed questions relating to the existing family processes, resources and how those are utilised to grow from adverse situations. A qualitative methodological design was followed to allow the accounts of the sample to emerge. A single grandmother-headed household was chosen to take part in a focus group. The transcriptions from the focus group was analysed using an in-depth inductive thematic analyses in order to induce themes that emerged from their experiences. These themes were then analysed in relation to the current literature on family resilience in grandmother-headed households. This study forms part of a larger longitudinal project headed by Dr R. Mampane, namely: Building resilience in families: The role of care workers in mitigating family risk factors. The themes that emerged as a result of the inductive thematic analysis were: spirituality; family resilience processes (communication, problem solving, roles and role reversal, emotional attachment, involvement, managing behaviour, and knowledge and respect of the individual); resources (inter-familial resources and external resources); the family’s perceptions (definition of the family and definition of adversity); and finally adversities (males, physical impairments, and inter- and intra-familial conflict, amongst others less pronounced). These findings answered questions regarding the process and support structures utilised by a grandmother-headed household to overcome and grow from their adversities. A conceptual model for family resilience was suggested. A better understanding of how a grandmother-headed household engages in resilient processes could assist various professionals and community healthcare workers identify processes of strength and the lack thereof in grandmotherheaded household who look after their orphaned grandchildren.