Grandparents are a vital resource in the child mental health crisis, says psychologist

Article excerpt

More than 40% of American teenagers report persistent sadness or hopelessness, a crisis a leading child psychologist says grandparents and extended family are uniquely positioned to address. The article highlights how multigenerational support networks can serve as buffers against adolescent mental health decline, with grandparents offering stability, mentorship, and unconditional regard that peers and even parents sometimes cannot provide. The psychologist argues that mobilizing these family connections, rather than relying solely on clinical interventions, represents an underutilized strategy in the broader mental health crisis.