Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Clinical Perspectives on Stepfamily Dynamics

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Stepfamily Relationships

  • 1538 Accesses

Abstract

How do clinicians view stepfamilies? The history of clinician’s perspectives is presented beginning with early attempts (first wave) to shape stepfamilies as nuclear families. The second wave of stepfamily clinicians proposed developmental modes that were more flexible and create, moving beyond reconstituting the nuclear family. A third wave of clinicians is creating therapeutic approaches including psychoeducation. Stepfamily characteristics are presented in the chapter: stepfamilies begin after many losses and changes as well as differing expectations, they are more structurally complex, children are members of two households, etc. Papernow’s model of the stepfamily life cycle is presented (i.e., fantasy, immersion, awareness, mobilization, action, contact, and resolution) as is Visher and Visher’s model of eight stepfamily tasks that must be addressed before stepfamilies can establish their own stepfamily identity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Adler-Baeder, F., Robertson, A., & Schramm, D. G. (2010). Conceptual framework for marriage education programs for stepfamily couples with considerations for socioeconomic context. Marriage and Family Review, 46, 300–322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Afifi, T. D., & Schrodt, P. (2003a). “Feeling caught” as a mediator of adolescents’ and young adults’ avoidance and satisfaction with their parents in divorced and non-divorced households. Communication Monographs, 70, 142–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aldous, J. (1990). Family development and the life course: Two perspectives on family change. Journal of Marriage and Family, 52, 571–583.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, J., & White, G. (1986). An empirical investigation of interactive and relationship patterns in functional and dysfunctional nuclear families and stepfamilies. Family Process, 25, 407–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arranz Becker, O., Salzburger, V., Lois, N., & Nauck, B. (2013). What narrows the stepgap? Closeness between parents and adult (step)children in Germany. Journal of Marriage and Family, 75, 1130–1148. doi:10.1111/jomf.12052.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batchelder, M. L. (1995). Adolescents’ adaptation to structural changes in family relationships with parental divorce: A combinatorial model. In T. Kindermann & J. Valsiner (Eds.), Development of person-context relations. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baxter, L. A., Braithwaite, D. O., & Nicholson, J. (1999). Turning points in the development of blended families. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 16, 291–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berger, R. (1995). Three types of stepfamilies. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 24, 35–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berger, R. (1998). The experience and issues of gay stepfamilies. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 29(3/4), 93–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, A. (1994). Women in stepfamilies: The fairy godmother, the wicked witch, and Cinderella reconstructed. In M. Mirkin (Ed.), Women in context: Toward a feminist reconstruction of psychotherapy (pp. 188–213). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, A. (1999). Reconstructing the Brothers Grimm: New tales of stepfamily life. Family Process, 38, 415–429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, A. (2006). Re-visioning, restructuring, and reconciliation: Clinical practice with complex postdivorce families. Family Process, 46, 67–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite, D., Olson, L. N., Golish, T. D., Soukop, C., & Turman, P. (2001). “Becoming a family”: Developmental processes represented in blended family discourse. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 29, 221–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bray, J., & Kelly, J. (1998). Stepfamilies: Love, marriage, and parenting in the first decade. New York: Broadway.

    Google Scholar 

  • Browning, S., & Artelt, E. (2012). Stepfamily therapy: A 10-step clinical approach. Washington, DC: APA.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Burgoyne, J., & Clark, D. (1984). Making a go of it: A study of stepfamilies in Sheffield. Boston: Routledge and Kegan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burt, M., & Burt, R. (1996). Stepfamilies: The step by step model of brief therapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burt, M. (Ed.). (1989). Stepfamilies stepping ahead. Lincoln, NE: Stepfamily Association of America.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, E. A. (1988). Counseling stepfamilies effectively. Behavior Today, 19, 1–2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, C. (2003). Therapists’ perceptions of bioparent-child relationships in stepfamilies: What hurts? What helps? Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 38(3/4), 147–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coale Lewis, H. C. (1985). Family therapy with stepfamilies. Journal of Strategic and Systemic Therapies, 4, 13–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crohn, H., Sager, C. J., Rodstein, E., Brown, H. S., Walker, L., & Beir, J. (1981). Understanding and treating the child in the remarried family. In I. R. Stuart & L. E. Abt (Eds.), Children of separation and divorce: Management and treatment (pp. 293–317). New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosbie-Burnett, M. (1989). Impact of custody arrangement and family structure on remarriage. Journal of Divorce, 13, 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De’Ath, E. (1997). Stepfamily policy from the perspective of a stepfamily organization. In I. Levin & M. Sussman (Eds.), Stepfamilies: History, research, and policy (pp. 265–280). New York, NY: Haworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Degarmo, D. S., & Forgatch, M. S. (2007). Efficacy of parent training for stepfathers: From playful spectator and polite stranger to effective stepfathering. Parenting: Science and Practice, 7, 331–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DiFonzo, J. H., & Stern, R. C. (2013). Breaking the mold and picking up the pieces: Rights of parenthood and parentage in nontraditional families. Family Court Review, 51, 104–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, R., Gillies, V., & McCarthy, J. R. (1999). Biological parents and social families: Legal discourses and everyday understandings of the position of stepparents. International Journal of Law, Policy, and the Family, 13, 78–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emery, R. E. (2012). Renegotiating family relationships: Divorce, child custody, and mediation (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erera-Weatherly, P. I. (1996). On becoming a stepparent: Factors associated with the adoption of alternative stepparenting styles. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 25, 155–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, L., & Coleman, M. (1987). Effects of stepfamilies on children: A comparison of two literatures. In K. Pasley & M. Ihinger-Tallman (Eds.), Remarriage and stepparenting: Current research and theory (pp. 94–140). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, L., & Coleman, M. (1989). Preparing for remarriage: Anticipating the issues, seeking solutions. Family Relations, 38, 28–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, L., Coleman, M., Fine, M., & Martin, P. (1999). Stepparents’ affinity-seeking and affinity-maintaining strategies with stepchildren. Journal of Family Issues, 20, 299–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, L., Coleman, M., Fine, M. A., & McDaniel, A. K. (1998). Issues considered in stepparent adoption. Family Relations, 47, 63–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, L. H., Coleman, M., & Jamison, T. (2011). Patterns of stepchild-stepparent relationship development. Journal of Marriage and Family, 73, 396–413. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00814.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, L., Coleman, M., Jamison, T., & Feistman, R. (2015). Divorced mothers’ coparental boundary maintenance after parents re-partner. Journal of Family Psychology, 29, 221–231. doi:10.1037/fam0000064.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, L., Coleman, M., & Mapes, D. (1990). A meta-analytic review of family structure stereotypes. Journal of Marriage and Family, 52, 287–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, L., Coleman, M., Markham, M., & Rothrauff, T. (2011). Predicting post-divorce coparenting communication. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 52, 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gennetian, L. A. (2005). One or two parents? Half or step siblings? The effect of family structure on young children’s achievement. Journal of Population Economics, 18, 415–436. doi:10.1007/s00148-004-0215-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerlach, P. (2001). Building a high-nurturance stepfamily. Philadelphia: Hibris Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, D. M. (2013). Ambiguous roles in a stepfamily: Using maps of narrative practices to develop a new family story with adolescents and parents. Contemporary Family Therapy, 35, 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gold, J. M. (2010). Helping stepfathers “step away” from the role of “father”: Directions for family intervention. Family Journal, 18, 208–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gold, J. M., & Adeyemi, O. (2013). Stepfathers and noncustodial fathers: Two men, one role. The Family Journal, 21, 99–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldner, V. (1982). Remarriage family: Structure, system, future. In J. C. Hansen & L. Messenger (Eds.), Therapy with remarried families (pp. 187–206). Rockville, MD: Aspen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, H. S. (1974). Reconstituted families: The second marriage and its children. Psychiatric Quarterly, 48, 433–440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hans, J., & Coleman, M. (2009). The experiences of remarried stepfathers who pay child support. Personal Relations, 16, 597–618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higginbotham, B. J., Miller, J. J., & Niehuis, S. (2009). Remarriage preparation: Usage, perceived helpfulness, and dyadic adjustment. Family Relations, 58, 316–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higginbotham, B. J., & Skogrand, L. (2010). Relationship education with both married and unmarried stepcouples: An exploratory study. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, 9, 133–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofferth, S., Pleck, J., Stueve, J., Bianchi, S., & Sayer, L. (2002). The demography of fathers: What fathers do. In C. Tamis-LeMonda & N. Cabrera (Eds.), Handbook of father involvement (pp. 63–90). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, L., & Hennon, C. B. (1992). Remarriage education: The personal reflections program. Family Relations, 41, 127–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, P. (1996). Family-centered practice with stepfamilies. Families in Society, 77, 535–544.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leslie, L. A., & Epstein, N. (1988). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of remarried families. In N. Epstein, S. E. Schlesinger, & W. Dryden (Eds.), Cognitive-behavioral therapy with families (pp. 151–182). New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahoney, M. M. (1997). Stepfamilies from a legal perspective. In I. Levin & M. Sussman (Eds.), Stepfamilies: History, research, and policy (pp. 231–248). New York, NY: Haworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malia, S. E. C. (2005). Balancing family members’ interest regarding stepparent rights and obligations: A social policy challenge. Family Relations, 54(2), 298–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, W. D., & Smock, P. J. (2000). “Swapping” families: Serial parenting and economic support for children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62, 111–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markham, M., & Coleman, M. (2012). The good, the bad, and the ugly: Divorced mothers experiences with co-parenting. Family Relations, 61, 586–600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGraw, L., & Walker, A. (2004). Gendered family relationships: The more things change, the more they stay the same. In M. Coleman & L. Ganong (Eds.), Handbook of contemporary families: Considering the past, contemplating the future (pp. 174–191). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Messinger, L. (1976). Remarriage between divorced people with children from previous marriages: A proposal for preparation for remarriage. Journal of Marriage and Family Counseling, 2, 193–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michaels, M. L. (2006). Stepfamily enrichment program: A preventive intervention for remarried couples. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 31, 135–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mills, D. (1984). A model for stepfamily development. Family Relations, 33, 365–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson, J., & Sanders, M. (1999). Randomized controlled trial of behavioral family intervention for the treatment of child behavior problems in stepfamilies. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 30(3/4), 1–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson, J., Sanders, M., Halford, W. K., Phillips, M., & Whitton, S. W. (2008). The prevention and treatment of children’s adjustment problems in stepfamilies. In J. Pryor (Ed.), The international handbook of stepfamilies (pp. 485–521). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papernow, P. (1993). Becoming a stepfamily. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papernow, P. (1995). What’s going on here? Separating (and weaving together) step and clinical issues in remarried families. In D. K. Huntley (Ed.), Understanding stepfamilies: Implications for assessment and treatment (pp. 3–24). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papernow, P. (2013). Surviving and thriving in stepfamily relationships: What works and what doesn’t. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pasley, K. (1987). Family boundary ambiguity: Perceptions of adult remarried family members. In K. Pasley & M. Ihinger-Tallman (Eds.), Remarriage and stepparenting: Current research and theory (pp. 206–224). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peek, C., Bell, N., Waldron, T., & Sorell, G. (1988). Patterns of functioning in families of remarried and first-married couples. Journal of Marriage and Family, 48, 767–775.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pryor, J. (2015, September). Research and social policies on children of divorced and repartnered parents in New Zealand: Suggestions for Japan. Presented at the conference Toward a Better Future for Children and Adults in Stepfamilies: What Social Policies Are Needed for Separated and Repartnered Families? Tokyo, Japan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Purswell, K. E., & Dillman Taylor, D. (2013). Creative use of sibling play therapy: An example of a blended family. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 8(2), 162–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ransom, J. W., Schlesinger, S., & Derdeyn, A. P. (1979). A stepfamily in formation. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 49, 36–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sager, C. J., Brown, H. S., Crohn, H., Engel, T., Rodstein, E., & Walker, E. (1983). Treating the remarried family. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slattery, M. E., Bruce, V., Halford, W. K., & Nicholson, J. M. (2011). Predicting married and cohabiting couples’ futures from their descriptions of stepfamily life. Journal of Family Psychology, 25, 560–569.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Troilo, J., & Coleman, M. (2012). Nonresidential fathers’ identities after divorce. Family Relations, 61, 601–614.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Visher, E. B., & Visher, J. S. (1979). Stepfamilies: A guide to working with stepparents and stepchildren. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Visher, E. B., & Visher, J. S. (1982). Stepfamilies in the 1980s. Conciliation Courts Review, 20, 15–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Visher, E. B., & Visher, J. S. (1985). Stepfamilies are different. Journal of Family Therapy, 7, 9–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Visher, E. B., & Visher, J. S. (1988). Old loyalties, new ties: Therapeutic strategies with stepfamilies. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Visher, E. B., & Visher, J. S. (1990). Dynamics of successful stepfamilies. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 14(1), 3–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Visher, E. B., & Visher, J. S. (1996). Therapy with stepfamilies. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Visher, E. B., Visher, J. S., & Pasley, K. (1997). Stepfamily therapy from the client’s perspective. Marriage and Family Review, 26, 191–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wald, E. (1981). The remarried family: Challenge and promise. New York: Family Service Association of America.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, S. E., & Coleman, M. (2010). Caught in the middle: Mothers in stepfamilies. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 27, 305–326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whiteside, M. F. (1982). Remarriage: A family developmental process. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 4, 59–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitton, S. W., Nicholson, J. M., & Markman, H. J. (2008). Research on interventions for stepfamily couples: The state of the field. In J. Pryor (Ed.), The international handbook of stepfamilies (pp. 455–484). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

    Lawrence Ganong & Marilyn Coleman

Authors
  1. Lawrence Ganong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marilyn Coleman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ganong, L., Coleman, M. (2017). Clinical Perspectives on Stepfamily Dynamics. In: Stepfamily Relationships. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7702-1_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7702-1_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-7700-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-7702-1

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation