Remarriage and Stepfamily Research in the 1980s: Increased Interest in an Old Family Form

Abstract

Nearly all the existing empirical work on step-families has been published in the last decade. This review first describes the demographic context for this work and then surveys research on stepchildren remarriage and stepfamily functioning [in the United States]. Problems in the extant research are identified and attention is given to areas that need to be explored in the future. Explicit and implicit theories that guided remarriage and stepfamily research in the 80s receive special emphasis. The review closes with suggestions regarding the direction of future theory in these areas of research. (EXCERPT)