Stepfamily Relationships: Development, Dynamics, and Interventions offers what has so far been missing in the field - a comprehensive, multidisciplinary text that provides a state-of-the-art look at this important facet of family study. This volume examines the variety of relationships within step-households as well as between households, focusing on internal family dynamics while maintaining a cultural and historical viewpoint. The diversity and complexity of families is emphasized throughout, including gay and lesbian stepfamilies, stepfamilies of varying racial and ethnic backgrounds, and stepfamilies across the life course. It will be a welcome text and reference for all those who study and work with stepfamilies and families in general.

Autorentext

Lawrence H. Ganong, Ph.D. is a professor of Nursing and Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Missouri (MU) Sinclair School of Nursing. A noted authority on post divorce families, Ganong's research has included intergenerational family obligations, post-divorce family dynamics and social cognitions related to family life. Ganong is a member of the National Council on Family Relations Board of Directors, and has conducted workshops for stepfamily members and for professionals working with stepfamilies. He is the co-editor of numerous articles, books, and book chapters on post-divorce family relationships and step families.

Klappentext

This volume focuses on a wide range of behaviors and outcomes in stepfamily relationships, both positive and negative. The authors use the normative-adaptive perspective to seek out and study adaptive, well-functioning stepfamilies and find how they differ from those who struggle to cope. It will be a welcome text and reference for all those who study and work with stepfamilies and families in general.

Zusammenfassung
Offers a comprehensive, multidisciplinary text that provides a look at step-family relationships - an important facet of family study. This volume examines the variety of relationships within step-households as well as between households, focusing on internal family dynamics while maintaining a cultural and historical viewpoint.

Inhalt

1 Studying Stepfamilies.- 2 The Cultural Context of Stepfamilies.- 3 Paths to Stepfamily Life.- 4 Courtship in Stepfamilies.- 5 Couple Dynamics in Stepfamilies.- 6 Gay and Lesbian Cohabiting Couples in Stepfamilies.- 7 The Dynamics of Parenting and Stepparenting.- 8 Effects of Stepfamily Living on Children.- 9 Siblings, Half-Siblings, and Stepsiblings.- 10 Grandparents and Stepgrandparents.- 11 Clinical Perspectives on Stepfamily Dynamics.- 12 Epilogue.- References.