The research, published in February's Journal of Family Psychology, found that children and adolescents whose parents have either divorced or separated see their grandparents as sources of comfort.
"Grandparents are a positive force for all families but play a significant role in families undergoing difficulties.
They can reduce the negative influence of parents separating and be a resource for children who are going through these family changes," said Dr. Shalhevet Attar-Schwartz from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and lead author of the study.
A total of 1,515 English and Welsh children ranging from 11 to 16 years old took part in the study. The participants were in three family structures: living with two biological parents, a single parent and within stepfamilies.
The students reported in the study that the more they talked to a grandparent about social and school actives, the less hyperactive and disruptive they were.
"This was found across all three family structures. But adolescents in single-parent households and stepfamilies benefited the most," Attar-Schwartz said.
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