Remarriage, Stepchildren, and Marital Conflict: Challenges to the Incomplete Institutionalization Hypothesis

Abstract

According to Cherlin (1978), the degree to which the family is varies across family types in the United States. Families are institutionalized to the extent that well-established norms and rituals structure interaction between family members. Cherlin's (1978) hypothesis posits that stepfamilies are relatively lacking in the kinds of norms that guide more traditional (i.e., two-parent biological) families in dealing with particularly complex family relations. Consequently, stepfamilies, in comparison with biological families, are expected to experience greater levels of conflict over such issues. This could explain the higher divorce rate for stepparent, as opposed to biological-parent, families found by White and Booth (1985). Cherlin (1978) pointed out, however, that a lack of institutional guidelines is problematic only for remarriages with stepchildren. While remarriages without stepchildren may be complex, he argued that, generally, they are guided by the social norms of first marriages, and consequently experience the same levels of conflict. This study examines Cherlin's hypothesis using data from the National Survey of Families and Households 1987-88 (NSFH). In particular, we assess differences in perceived marital conflict for three types of households with children under the age of 18: those that include children from the present marriage but none from any previous marriage or relationship, those in which there is at least one stepchild along with at least one child from the present marriage, and those in which there is at least one stepchild but no children from the present marriage. Additionally, we explore differences in conflict for three types of marriages: those that are first marriages for both partners, those that are remarriages for only one of the partners (single remarriages), and those that are remarriages for both partners (double remarriages). Assuming that Cherlin's thesis is correct, we expect to find (a) higher conflict in stepchild families, compared with biological families, (b) greater conflict in remarriages, compared with first marriages, overall, and (c) an interaction between marital configuration and type of children, such that remarriages are more conflicted than first marriages only when stepchildren are present. (In that this interaction is ordinal, we would e expect that, overall, remarriages have higher levels of conflict than first marriages.) THE INCOMPLETE INSTITUTIONALIZATION HYPOTHESIS Cherlin (1978) argued that institutionalized solutions directly affect family unity by narrowing the choices family members may make in responding to problems. Because there are fewer decisions to be made, there are fewer grounds for dissension. When institutionalized solutions do not exist, however, families must begin to create their own solutions. Insofar as there is greater leeway to make choices, there is more potential for conflict. Net of other influences, an increase in conflict would be expected to increase the likelihood of marital disruption. Although Cherlin (1978) could not convincingly demonstrate a link between incomplete institutionalization and the higher divorce rate for remarriages, his analysis described ways in which the lack of institutional support may disrupt family harmony. New social roles are created as spouses become stepparents or noncustodial parents, and as children become stepchildren and stepsiblings. In addition, family space may be expanded to include more than one household. Family life thus can become quite complex, and without guidelines for dealing with this complexity, stepfamilies are likely to experience frequent internal conflicts. There are many areas in which the structural complexity of the stepfamily may create an atmosphere of uncertainty. Especially problematic for stepfamilies is the language pertaining to stepfamily relationships (Cherlin, 1978). The terms stepparent, and stepfather or stepmother, are unambiguous. …