The Power of Three: A Latent Class Analysis of the Three Parent–Child Relationships in Stepfamilies and Their Influence on Emerging Adult Outcomes

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to identify patterns of parent–child relationships in stepfamilies and explore their impact on emerging adult (EA) outcomes. Six classes of parent–child relationships were identified based on participants’ retrospective reports of warmth and closeness, involved parenting, and communication. After identifying the classes, we examined how resident parent relationships status, EA sex, stepparent sex, years spent in a stepfamily, the age the EA entered the stepfamily, and the time spent with the nonresident parent affected class membership. Finally, we examined how class membership affected EA depression, drug use, and hooking up behaviors.