Stepfamily Households Research Articles

Experiences of Adolescent Stepchildren in the Stepfamily Context in Ghana: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT Globally, family systems are being diversified as most children are no longer living with their biological parents due to divorce, remarriage, separation and unmarried personhood leading to a rise in stepfamilies. Despite the rise of stepfamilies in the sub-Saharan African countries, they have been largely under-studied, especially among the adolescent population. This study explored the nature of experiences and their determining factors as well as impact on adolescent stepchildren in the Ghanaian context. A purposive sample of 22 adolescents who were living or had lived in a stepfamily household in the Koforidua Metropolis of Ghana were interviewed; and their responses analyzed thematically. Findings show that stepchildren had both pleasant and unpleasant experiences which had psychological, social and academic implications to their wellbeing. Precipitating factors bothered on stepchildren’s conduct, lack of blood ties between stepchildren and stepfamilies and lack of prospective benefits to stepparents. These findings underscore the need for psychological interventions for adolescents within the stepfamily context to help address the unpleasant experiences that may negatively impact on their social and psychological wellbeing.

Childrearing in stepfamilies: Empirical answers about “what works”

AbstractObjectiveThe objectives of this project were to (a) examine research evidence on effective childrearing in stepfamilies, (b) draw “best practice” guidelines for effective childrearing in stepfamilies, and (c) identify gaps in what is known about effective childrearing in stepfamilies. Effective childrearing was defined as cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors of stepparents and biological parents that contributed positively to children's physical, cognitive, and emotional well‐being.BackgroundThe predominant focus of research on stepfamilies has been on investigating stepfamily deficits, problems, and challenges. Recently, more researchers have examined stepfamilies from a resilience perspective in which emphases are placed on processes that contribute to effective development and adaptations to change.MethodWe reviewed 119 studies of effective childrearing in stepfamilies. We examined three bodies of literature: (a) effective parenting in stepfamilies, (b) effective stepparenting in stepfamilies, and (c) effective coparenting in stepfamilies (both within stepfamily households, e.g., between spouses and across stepfamily households, e.g., between ex‐spouses).ResultsThe results of this project are reported in three articles in this collection. We extract evidence‐based principles of effective childrearing in stepfamilies.ConclusionsResearchers have made great strides in identifying parenting practices that promote positive outcomes for children in stepfamilies, although gaps in our knowledge remain.ImplicationsIn each article, we offer empirically supported suggestions for stepfamily members and for family professionals who work with them.

Effective coparenting in stepfamilies: Empirical evidence of what works

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this review is to examine research evidence about effective childrearing of stepchildren by coparents in stepfamilies (i.e., childrearing that contributes to children's physical, cognitive, and emotional well‐being).BackgroundChildrearing after parental repartnering is likely to involve coparenting within stepfamily households (i.e., by parents and stepparents), across stepfamily households (i.e., by biological parent dyads), and a combination of intra‐ and inter‐household coparenting subsystems. Effective coparenting of children in stepfamilies benefits individual, relational, and stepfamily well‐being and effective family functioning.MethodWe reviewed 58 studies in which empirical evidence of effective childrearing of stepchildren by coparents in stepfamilies was obtained.ResultsChildren in stepfamilies fare better when coparents work collaboratively in focusing on children's well‐being, managing conflicts, being careful when communicating to children and to coparents, and keeping children out of parental issues. Coparenting within stepfamily households works when coparents agree on childrearing rules and roles, communicate clearly, and engage in parenting styles that emphasize high warmth. Step‐household coparents also foster children's well‐being by creating cohesive stepfamily dynamics and modifying expectations. Few researchers studied coparental triads that include both parents and a stepparent.ConclusionsStepfamily members benefit from effective coparenting.ImplicationsEffective childrearing by stepfamily coparent subsystems is complex, but a key is focusing on children's well‐being.

Dissonant relationships to biological parents and stepparents and the well-being of adult children

We examined the importance of adult children’s ties with biological parents and stepparents for well-being in adulthood. We particularly focused on situations in which adult children are not close with the new partner of their biological parent, their stepparent. Following balance theory, it is straining to be in an unbalanced pattern (i.e., close to biological parent, not close to stepparent). Firstly, we studied how many adults are close to their biological parent only (dissonance), to both the biological parent and stepparent (positive consonance), or to neither parent in the stepfamily household (negative consonance). Secondly, we examined if the ties to biological parents and stepparents - as well as, the patterns between the two ties - were associated with the subjective well-being of the adult child. The OKiN data was used, which includes N = 1,477 adults with a stepfather and N = 1,274 adults with a stepmother. OLS regression models suggested that parent-child ties were important for depression and loneliness in adulthood, although associations with stepmother-child ties were insignificant. Moreover, the prevalence of dissonant ties was low, but the consequences for depression and loneliness were considerable. A distant or conflictual stepparent-child tie attenuated the benefits of having a close tie with the biological parent. Consequently, adult children in dissonant patterns are not necessarily better off in terms of well-being than those in negative consonant patterns.

Parenting in stepfamilies: revisiting the stepfather’s role

Based on a symbolic interactionist approach, which focuses on family roles negotiation, this article aims to identify the different ways of constructing stepfathering in stepfamily households. Drawing on 30 in-depth interviews with co-resident Portuguese stepfathers, a diversity of patterns was clearly identified. Some roles, patterns or relationships are more involved, individualised and negotiated, whereas others are more distant, mediated and statutory. The article concludes that the way in which stepfathers build their role in a stepfamily relies mostly on the space granted by the mother as well as the stepfather’s willingness to engage in stepfamily life, taking on (or not taking on) tasks and parental responsibilities generally assigned to biological parents. In this sense, the stepfather is a secondary everyday-life parent, who is present and contributes, alongside the mother, to the education and training of the stepchild.

Stepparent–Child Relationship Quality and Couple Relationship Quality: Stepfamily Household Type as a Moderating Influence

Stepparent–child relationships and new couple relationships are core pillars of stepfamily functioning and well-being. Although research generally indicates that stepparent–child relationship quality and couple relationship quality are positively associated, questions remain about in which contexts and from whose perspective this association holds. Using reports from parents and stepparents in a sample of 291 stepfamily heterosexual couples, we assess whether stepfamily household type (i.e., mother–stepfather, father–stepmother) moderates the association between stepparent–child relationship quality and couple relationship quality. Results indicate that stepparent–child relationship quality and couple relationship quality are positively associated in both mother–stepfather and father–stepmother families, and from the vantage point of both parents and stepparents. The positive association is significantly larger in mother–stepfather families from the vantage point of stepfathers. Implications for future research and practice with stepfamilies are discussed.

Stepparent-Child Relationship Quality and Couple Relationship Quality: Stepfamily Household Type as a Moderating Influence

Stepparent-Child Relationship Quality and Couple Relationship Quality: Stepfamily Household Type as a Moderating Influence

Stepmother and Stepson Relationship Within the Shona People, Zimbabwe

ABSTRACTIt has been widely assumed that normally mothers relate well and are closer to their sons and girls are closer to their fathers. Indeed, it is true from a layman’s point of view. This article presents a Zimbabwean argument with regard to family relations, especially between either of the parents and the children. Precisely, the study focuses on the stepmother–stepson relationship, which in the majority of cases is defined by hostility, hatred, mistrust, and jealousy. An exploratory study to understand some of the causes of conflicts between stepsons and stepmothers was conducted within the Shona people of Zimbabwe through a triangulated approach of interviews with 70 stepfamily households and an intensive review of archival literature selected from sociological papers and media reports from 1980 to 2014. All the participants were purposefully selected, and the literature reviewed specifically focused on the cases of conflicts between the 2 parties and to some extent, their causes. To analyze the data and create key themes, a constant comparison method was applied. The study established that although there might be several reasons for the 2 parties’ conflicts, the most prominent, especially within the Shona people, include the following: inheritance of the traditional family title by the stepson while the stepmother fights to have it bestowed on her biological son, failure by each of them to recognize their respective roles and positions in the home, and jealousy.

The Challenges of Being a Mother in a Stepfamily

Children in stepfamilies are at increased risk of negative outcomes compared to children in first marriages, although most fare adequately or well. Researchers have emphasized the importance of defining the stepfamily processes that support or hinder child adjustment. This article considers the challenges that mothers face as they raise their children in stepfamily households. It examines the stepfamily processes that might account for the increased problems that some mothers experience in the transition to stepfamily living. These include the preparation of children for remarriage, the demands on mothers' attention, the stepparent role and its impact on mothers and children, and loyalty issues and coalitions. These areas are important foci for researchers as mothers need evidenced-based guidance to assist them in supporting children to adjust to the family changes.

“Shifting Family Boundaries” After the Diagnosis of Childhood Cancer in Stepfamilies

The childhood cancer experiences of stepfamilies have not been described despite the fact that nearly one third of U.S. children will live in a stepfamily household. To describe the impact of diagnosis on parental relationships in stepfamilies, we undertook a secondary analysis of data from a study of parental decision making in structurally diverse families. As described by 13 parents of six stepfamilies, the crisis of a childhood cancer diagnosis immediately changed family dynamics. Parental relationships changed, which shifted family boundaries, creating instability in families who were trying to cope with a very stressful life experience. Through increased understanding of parental relationship changes that occur after the diagnosis of childhood cancer in stepfamilies, clinicians can anticipate these changes and provide supportive interventions to reduce overall family conflict and distress. These distinctive stepfamily responses underscore the need to include structurally diverse families in future trials targeting parental coping in childhood cancer.

“You're My Parent but You're Not”: Dialectical Tensions in Stepchildren's Perceptions About Communicating with the Nonresidential Parent

The nonresidential parent plays a role in the lives of stepchildren and in stepfamily households. The focus of the present study was on the interaction between the nonresidential parent and his/her child who resides as part of a stepfamily household. Grounded in relational dialectics theory, the researchers performed an interpretive analysis of 50 transcribed interviews with college-aged stepchildren. Stepchildren's perceptions of communication with the nonresidential parent were animated by two contradictions: parenting/nonparenting and openness/closedness. These two contradictions form a totality, interwoven with one another. The parenting/nonparenting contradiction reflected stepchildren's ambivalence over parenting attempts of nonresidential parents. Stepchildren wanted nonresidential parent involvement and parenting, and at the same time they resisted it, often finding communication to be awkward and challenging. In addition, stepchildren wanted open and intimate communication with their nonresidential parents, yet they found openness to be problematic and managed these contradictory demands via segmentation. Implications of these findings are discussed, along with insights to guide professionals working with stepfamilies and adults co-parenting children to better understand and interact in ways that promote healthy stepfamilies.

Stepfamily Living and Parent-Child Relationships: An Exploratory Investigation

Results from research with stepfamilies indicate that some residential parent-child relationships deteriorate after parents remarry. This paper reports on three interview studies, the dual aims of which were to develop greater insight into what occurs in parent-child relationships in stepfamily households and the impact of different parenting practices on these relationships. Fifty-one participants took part in individual or group interviews. These participants included 9 therapists experienced in working with stepfamilies, 28 young adults who grew up in stepfamilies, and 14 stepfamily members. This third group consisted of 7 preadolescent children and their residential biological mothers. The present results focus on a number of themes that emerged across the three studies, with particular reference to parenting practices that were experienced as either difficult or supportive. These concerned the importance of parental time and attention; information, communication, and consultation regarding family changes; the different meanings that remarriage has for parents and children; the stepparent role; and ongoing interparental conflict.

“Parent teams” and the everyday interactions of co‐parenting in stepfamilies

Family scholars have yet to explore substantially the day‐to‐day interactions of stepfamily systems. Our focus was on the everyday interactions of parent teams, adults who are co‐parenting within different stepfamily households, describing the characteristics of their communication. Twenty‐two parents, stepparents, and partners (N = 22) kept diaries for two weeks, each time they interacted with an adult in the other household. Results detail the frequency, timing, location, and length of interactions; initiator, channel, and topics; and reasons for interaction. Interactions were short, everyday encounters rather than extended, planned meetings. The majority of the interactions were via telephone, followed by face‐to‐face and electronic mail. Participants cited convenience and proximity as reasons for choosing these channels. The majority of topics discussed involved issues surrounding the children, involved little conflict, and adults were moderately satisfied with the interactions. Results suggest that these parent teams had achieved a state of equilibrium and developed ways to interact that worked reasonably well.

Young Adults' Perceptions of Parents' Responses in Stepfamilies

Stepfamily relationship research has emphasized the stepparent role and relationships between stepparents and stepchildren, neglecting the study of bioparent-child relationships in stepfamily households. In this study, 28 young adults from stepfamilies participated in group interviews, that focussed on their perceptions of parental responses in childhood stepfamily situations. A number of themes emerged around parental responses experienced as hurtful or helpful. These included the importance for children of parental attention and communication, perceptions of loyalty, discipline issues, parental decisions related to transitions and the ongoing relationship with the non-resident parent. It is argued that the bioparent-child relationship may be more important to child wellbeing than the stepparent-stepchild relationship; and that increased research emphasis on this biological dyad will contribute significantly to an understanding of healthy stepfamily adjustment.

Step Family as Dyads - Direct and Indirect Relationships

With the background in the confusions about the meaning of the term family, step-family as a concept and idea is studied. Traditionally, the nuclear family acts as a model and an ideological code in everyday life as well as in scholarly work. Here is shown, with step-families as examples, that a person’s family has members from various households. The step-family household is not the same as step-fami ly. Dyadic analysis shows how some members are in direct relationships while others are in indirect or in transitory relationships. This means that members of a person’s family are there for the sake of consanguinity and conjugality as well as for other reasons. Such are inclusion of members in ones family because they are important for the person itself, direct relationships, but included not because of the relationship to the person itself but because they are important for someone else in the person’s family, indirect relationships.

The evolutionary study of human family systems

Evolutionary biologists seek to understand human behavior by postulating that many of our current social behaviors and emotions represent heritable adaptations that were selectively advantageous during our ancestral (pre-agricultural, pre-industrial) human environment. Studies of animal species that live in societies structured similarly to those of our ancestors (i.e. in multi-generational family groups) may thus provide insights into the genetically influenced behavioral predispositions that may be present in ourselves. The evolutionary approach argues that family groupings have a biological basis. They form under particular ecological and demographic conditions when the reproduction of individuals is enhanced by prolonging the association between parents and young. Because families are comprised of close genetic relatives, a high degree of cooperation is expected between their members. Conflict is also expected, however, because the reproductive interests of parents, offspring, and other family members are rarely identical. Such conflicts are intensified in reconstituted (step) families because replacement mates (stepparents) are unrelated to offspring of the previous pairing, and extant offspring are less related to future young of the new pairing. I develop a set of predictions specifying when, where, and between whom, conflict is expected in reconstituted family environments. After briefly documenting the robustness of this approach in explaining the behavior of non-human species, I examine its value for interpreting patterns of behavior in human stepfamilies. I suggest that much of the increased conflict seen in modern human families is due to the recent surge in numbers of stepfamily households. Increased understanding of our behavioral predispositions can help us to design better conflict resolution strategies for human families in crisis. I offer a five point program for incorporating such knowledge into family counselling. The evolutionary perspective does not challenge or contradict the intellectual frameworks of sociology or psychology. Rather it seeks explanations for human behavior at a different level of analysis. In doing so it provides additional information of a new dimension which should lead to a better understanding of the types and frequencies of human family dysfunction.

Double Jeopardy: Parental Conflict and Stepfamily Outcomes for Children

This article uses data from the 1987-88 National Survey of Families and Households to examine whether conflict between parents can explain why children in stepfather households are doing worse than children in original, two-parent households and no better than children in single-mother households. Two types of conflict are examined: intrahousehold conflict (conflict between parents who reside in the same household) and interhousehold conflict (conflict between biological parents who reside in separate households). Children in stepfather households risk being exposed to both forms of conflict and, therefore, may be exposed to higher overall levels of conflict than other children. Because of their past experiences, they also may be more sensitive to parental conflict than other children. Our results indicate that this is not the case. Regardless of the source of conflict and how it is measured, our results suggest that parental conflict does not account for the lower levels of well-being among children in stepfather households relative to other children. One puzzling finding in the literature on disrupted families is the absence of a remarriage benefit for children in stepfamily households. Although the remarriage of parents increases a family's economic security and brings an additional parental figure into the household, children in stepfamilies exhibit about the same number of adjustment problems as children in single-parent families and more problems than children in original, two-parent families (Allison & Furstenberg, 1989; Dawson, 1991; Furstenberg & Cherlin, 1991; McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994; Zill, 1988). Because the lack of economic and social resources is responsible for much of the disadvantage associated with growing up with a single parent (McLanahan & Sandefur, 1994), we might expect remarriage to dramatically increase children's well-being. Yet the empirical research does not support this argument. One possible explanation for the absence of a remarriage benefit is that children in stepfamily households are exposed to more conflict between parents than children in other types of households. Numerous studies have shown that interparental conflict, before and after divorce, is negatively related to children's well-being (for reviews, see Amato, Loomis, & Booth, 1995; Emery, 1982, 1988; Grych & Fincham, 1990). These results hold for both boys and girls and, apparently, for children of different ages (Cummings Davies, 1994; Grych & Fincham, 1990). Openly expressed parental conflict that is frequent, long lasting, and characterized by high levels of verbal and physical aggression is particularly harmful to children (Emery, 1982; Grych & Fincham, 1990). Conflict between parents might account for the absence of a remarriage benefit for children in stepfamilies either because (a) children are exposed to higher levels of conflict, including interhousehold conflict between biological parents who live apart and intrahousehold conflict between a parent and stepparent who live together, or (b) because they are more negatively affected by conflict than children in other types of households. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND Why is conflict between parents negatively related to child well-being? Several explanations have been advanced. One explanation emphasizes how social modeling produces the parental conflict/child adjustment relationship, in which children acquire the same behavioral strategies used by their parents during conflict episodes by imitating parental conduct. A second explanation proposes that conflict between parents acts as a stressor for children, taking a cumulative toll on the children's adjustment (Cummings L Cummings, 1988; Cummings & Davies 1994). A third explanation proposes that parental conflict has an indirect effect on children through its effect on parent-child relationships. Conflict between parents may preoccupy parents, decrease their emotional availability, and reduce the consistency and effectiveness of parental disciplinary practices (Fauber, Forehand, Thomas, Wierson, 1990; Wallerstein & Kelly, 1980). …

The Presentation of Stepfamilies in Marriage and Family Textbooks: A Reexamination

In recent years, stepfamilies have been one of the most rapidly growing family forms in the United States and throughout the world. Although Census Bureau data are not available regarding the exact number of stepfamilies in the United States, and estimates vary widely, even the most conservative estimates indicate that stepfamilies make up a sizable minority of the population. Nearly a decade ago, Cherlin and McCarthy (1985) calculated that there were nearly 2.5 million postdivorce stepfamily households with residential children in the United States. This number obviously would be larger if remarriages formed following the death of a spouse and de facto stepfamilies in which adults do not legally remarry were included. According to demographer Glick (1989), 19% of married couple families with children are stepfamilies, and one third of Americans are now a stepparent, a stepchild, a stepsibling, or some other member of a stepfamily. At any one time, about 10% of American children live with a stepfather and mother (Bumpass, 1984; Glick, 1984) and about 2% with a stepmother and father (Bachrach, 1983). If current rates of divorce and remarriage continue, as many as 35% of the children in the United States will be part of a stepfamily before they are 18 years old (Glick, 1989). It is likely, therefore, that a sizable percentage of college students have experienced membership in a stepfamily, or they will have such experiences sometime during their adult years. Because so many students are affected by remarriage, the topics of remarriage, stepparenting, and stepfamilies are relevant subjects that should be an integral part of introductory courses on marriage and family relationships. One indication of what is taught in introductory marriage and family courses is the presentation of material in textbooks. Of course, textbooks are not the only source of information; instructors usually supplement textbook materials with additional readings, lectures, films, and videos. Nonetheless, textbooks provide a relatively reliable view of course content. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the presentation of information on stepfamilies in marriage and family textbooks. This study is a partial replication of a review of 26 widely used introductory marriage and family textbooks that was conducted a decade ago (Nolan, Coleman, & Ganong, 1984). That review was inspired by an earlier assertion made by Rallings (1976) that stepparenting was either ignored or treated briefly and superficially in marriage and family textbooks. The following conclusions were drawn from that 1984 review: 1. In general, marriage and family textbooks contain limited information about stepfamilies. 2. Much of the information presented about stepfamilies is based on clinical work or popular, self-help sources. 3. A handful of empirical studies, many somewhat dated, provide the meager data base for these textbooks. 4. The topic of stepfamily relations is treated as secondary to remarriage. An examination of chapter titles indicates that Ralling's (1976) earlier assertion regarding this remains true. 5. There is a subtle, deficit-family model applied to stepfamilies as indicated by little discussion of successful functioning, a predilection toward discussing stresses, and a greater than usual incidence of giving recommendations. (p. 565) In the years since this review, there has been an explosion of remarriage and stepfamily research (Coleman & Ganong, 1990). Considering that some conclusions from the 1984 investigation were due, in part, to a dearth of empirical studies on stepfamilies, the substantial increase in theoretical and empirical work on remarriage and steprelationships available to text authors in recent years should have resulted in more thorough coverage of these topics. Has the coverage of remarriage and stepfamilies in textbooks changed in the past decade? Does the coverage reflect the vastly expanded body of empirical and theoretical work? …

A stepchild's emotional experience across two households: An investigation of response patterns by P-technique factor analysis

A multivariate, replicated, single-subject, repeated measures (MRSRM) design was used to explore intraindividual variability in emotional response patterns of the stepchild both within and between two households: the mother's and that of the stepfamily. Within this intensive measurement framework, two 12-year-old male stepchildren who resided in their respective single-parent household (mother's) and visited in a stepfamily household (father's) on a regular basis responded to the Subjective Feelings Inventory (SFI) over a two-month period. P-technique factor analysis of the intercorrelations of repeated measurements of the items for the eight self- reported emotions measured by the SFI revealed consistent differences between the participants in factorial complexity. The analyses also showed that differences in emotional response patterns exist from one household to the next. A more complex factor pattern was found for each stepchild in the stepfamily household than in the single-parent household. A repeated measures analysis of variance to compare the intensity and range of emotion across households for each child indicated very different patterns for the two participants.

What's Fair?

This paper describes sources of confusion and conflict in the practice and analysis of financial management in stepfamily households. Drawing on published reports and recent research, it examines divergent meanings of the concept of fairness. Under- standing the beliefs and values about household finances and inheri- tance that guide remarried couples sheds light on the decisions they make and on the stresses they experience.