Assessing the Importance of Foster Parent Resources in Late Adulthood – An Analysis Based on Steven Hofoll’s Theory of Resource Conservation

Abstract

The article presents the results of own research presenting differences in assessing the importance of resources in the older adults acting as foster parents for their grandchildren. For this purpose, the Questionnaire of Self-Assessment of Profits and Losses in Resources in a shortened version (40 items) in the Polish adaptation of B. Dudek, J. Koniarek, E. Gruszczyńska and the author’s questionnaire were used. One hundred sixty people took part in the study. The study group consisted of 80 foster parents in late adulthood. The control group comprised 80 older adults who did not perform this function. The analysis of validity assessment included in this paper is based on Steven Hobfoll’s Theory of Conservation of Resources.Statistical analysis showed statistically significant differences in the scope of individual categories of resources. It turned out that foster parents give significantly more value to family resources but less value to hedonistic and economic-political resources than people from the control group. On this basis, it can be concluded that older adults acting as foster parents, taking up the challenge of caring for their grandchildren, are guided by the good of the family and family values, which they consider the most valuable. At the same time, it can be assumed that due to their role, they need to have the opportunity to meet their own needs, which they perceive as less important.