“…Although a respectable amount of research has been conducted on cohabitation, most of the analyses undertaken have not focused on the effects of this family structure on the academic achievement of school children (e.g., Loomis & Landale, 1994;Ross, 1995;Schoen & Weineck, 1993). Research on stepfamilies has lagged considerably behind that of divorce and is still a relatively new area of study (Booth & Dunn, 1994;Furstenberg, 1988;Ganong & Coleman, 1994;Heyman, 1992;Jeynes, 1998a). Booth and Dunn (1994, p. ix) note, ''Compared to other family groups, the stepfamily has been neglected both with respect to research and policy.''…”