Abstract
The current qualitative research study enhances the understanding of new norms on transition days for researchers and clinicians who focus on marriage and family issues among stepfamilies or blended families. Thirteen family members (biological parents, stepparents) who were in various stages of stepfamily formation were assessed. The current study explicated a main theme: New Norms. After further analysis, two subthemes emerged that families must navigate on transition day: Cohesive New Family and New Children. The researchers also describe the positives and negatives of new norms. By gaining a more in-depth understanding of the challenges blended families face during transition days, immediate assistance may be provided to families. The results of the study are applicable to any individual, clinician, or researcher who desires a deeper understanding of stepfamily narratives.
Highlights
A half century ago, marriages were likely to end with the death of a spouse; in more contemporary times, marriage is more likely to end due to divorce (Sweeney, 2010)
The interviewee had to be a parent in a blended family or stepfamily, and secondly, the interviewee had to be willing to enter into a discussion about their experiences on transition days
Most participants stories as a whole overlapped between the two themes, cohesive new family and new children as reflected in Table 2, the frequency with which the themes appeared across interviews
Summary
A half century ago, marriages were likely to end with the death of a spouse; in more contemporary times, marriage is more likely to end due to divorce (Sweeney, 2010). Rising divorce rates create the unique opportunity to remarry and form blended families, or stepfamilies. It is quite normal in our society to see individuals who are marrying today, may marry a partner who has children from a previous marriage, this family becomes a blended family. In these newly constituted families, there may be a stepparent, half-sibling, and stepsibling. It is not unusual for a family to have each one of these. If any of this is surprising, you are not alone
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