Studying Stepfamilies: Four Eras of Family Scholarship

Abstract

Historically, there have always been stepfamilies, but until the early 1970s, they remained largely unnoticed by social scientists. Research interest in stepfamilies followed shortly after divorce became the primary precursor to stepfamily formation. Because stepfamilies are structurally diverse and much more complex than nuclear families, they have created considerable challenges for both researchers and clinicians. This article examines four eras of stepfamily scholarship, tracing the development of research questions, study designs and methods, and conceptual frameworks from the mid-1970s to the present and drawing implications for the current state of the field.

Recoupling in Mid‐Life and Beyond: From Love at Last to Not So Fast

“…Most stepfamily scholarship also continues to focus on stepfamilies with children under 18 (Ganong & Coleman, , ; Stewart, ). Nonetheless, as the demographic statistics would predict, stepcouples formed after “gray divorce,” and their adult children, are increasingly appearing in our offices.…”

Editorial: The Systemic in Couple and Family Research and Couple and Family Therapy

“…There has emerged endless research in support of how family life affects almost all aspects of individual lives, including health, mental health, and individual functioning (Ganong & Coleman, ; Martin, Kim, & Freyd, ; Walsh, ; Whisman, ). Research on the impact of couple and family therapy also has been substantially positive (Baucom & Crenshaw, ; Henggeler & Schaeffer, ; Liddle, ; Robbins, Alexander, Turner, & Hollimon, ; Wiebe & Johnson, ).…”

Editorial: Integration in Couple and Family Therapy

“…This “both‐and” view predominates despite early warnings by the first generation of family therapists to beware of focusing too much on the individual, lest it erode systemic thinking and practice (Haley, ; Napier & Whitaker, ). A multitude of valuable contributions in research and clinical practice have established both systemic and individual processes as crucial inputs in human functioning (Demby, Riggs, & Kaminski, ; Ganong & Coleman, ; Tissot, Favez, Ghisletta, Frascarolo, & Despland, ) and have provided a vast array of effective modes for working with couples and families on each level (Darwiche & de Roten, ; Liddle, ; Robbins, Alexander, Turner, & Hollimon, ). Integration across the individual and systemic levels is an almost inevitable product of considering the clinical and research data.…”