Skip to main content

Couple Dynamics in Stepfamilies

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Stepfamily Relationships

Abstract

How do couples build a close bond when they have children from prior relationships and ex-partners who are interested observers of these bonding processes? In this chapter we examine the roles of children, former spouses and partners, and others on the bonding processes in stepfamily couples. Research on couple dynamics related to power and equity, the division of labor, financial decisions and money management are reviewed. Remarriage quality and stability are explored, and reasons for remarital instability are considered. The couple dynamics of older adults also are presented.

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

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

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

  • Addo, F. R., & Sassler, S. (2010). Financial arrangements and relationship quality in low‐income couples. Family Relations, 59, 408–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, E. S., Baucom, D. H., Burnett, C. K., Epstein, N., & Rankin-Esquer, L. A. (2001). Decision-making power, autonomy, and communication in remarried spouses compared with first-married spouses. Family Relations, 50(4), 326–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, E. R., & Rice, A. M. (1992). Sibling relationships during remarriage. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 57(2-3, Serial No. 227), 149–177.

    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 

  • Anderson, K. (2000). The life histories of American stepfathers in evolutionary perspective. Human Nature, 11, 307–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baxter, L. A., Braithwaite, D. O., & Bryant, L. E. (2006). Types of communication triads perceived by young-adult stepchildren in established stepfamilies. Communication Studies, 57, 381–400.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baxter, L. A., Braithwaite, D. O., Kellas, J. K., LeClair-Underberg, C., Normand, E. L., Routsong, T., et al. (2009). Empty ritual: Young-adult stepchildren’s perceptions of the remarriage ceremony. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 26, 467–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beaudry, M., Boisvert, J. M., Simard, M., Parent, C., & Blais, M. C. (2004). Communication: A key component to meeting the challenges of stepfamilies. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 42(1/2), 85–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, K. M., Armott, L., & Soulsby, L. K. (2013). “You’re not getting married for the moon and the stars”: The uncertainties of older British widowers about the idea of new romantic relationships. Journal of Aging Studies, 27, 499–506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benson, J. J., & Coleman, M. A. (in press). Older adults developing a preference for Living Apart Together (LAT). Journal of Marriage and Family.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, A. (1989). Yours, mine and ours. New York: Scribner’s.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bograd, R., & Spilka, B. (1996). Self-disclosure and marital satisfaction in mid-life and late-life remarriages. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 42, 161–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bohannan, P. (1970). Divorce chains, households of remarriage, and multiple divorcers. In P. Bohannan (Ed.), Divorce and after. New York: Doubleday & Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth, A., & Edwards, J. N. (1992). Starting over: Why remarriages are more unstable. Journal of Family Issues, 13, 179–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boss, P. (1999). Ambiguous loss. Cambridge, MA: Harvard.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite, D., Baxter, L., & Harper, A. (1998). The role of rituals in the management of the dialectical tension of “old” and “new” in blended families. Communication Studies, 49, 101–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite, D., Toller, P. W., Daas, K. L., Durham, W. T., & Jones, A. C. (2008). Centered but not caught in the middle: Stepchildren’s perceptions of dialectical contradictions in the communication of co-parents. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 36, 33–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bramlett, M. D., & Mosher, W. D. (2002). Cohabitation, marriage, divorce, and remarriage in the United States. Vital and Health Statistics, 23(22), 1–32. National Center for Health Statistics.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bray, J., & Berger, S. (1993). Developmental issues in stepfamilies research project: Family relationships and parent-child interactions. Journal of Family Psychology, 7, 76–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bray, J., Berger, S. H., Silverblatt, A. H., & Hollier, A. (1987). Family process and organization during early remarriage: A preliminary analysis. In J. P. Vincent (Ed.), Advances in family intervention, assessment, and theory (pp. 253–279). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Brimhall, A. S., & Engblom-Deglmann, M. L. (2011). Starting over: A tentative theory exploring the effects of past relationships on postbereavement remarried couples. Family Process, 50, 47–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brimhall, A., Wampler, K., & Kimball, T. (2008). Learning from the past, altering the future: A tentative theory of the effect of past relationships on couples who remarry. Family Process, 47(3), 373–387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brody, G. H., Neubaum, E., & Forehand, R. (1988). Serial marriage: A heuristic analysis of an emerging family form. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 211–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, A. C., Green, R.-J., & Druckman, J. (1990). A comparison of stepfamilies with and without child-focused problems. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 60, 556–566.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S., & Booth, A. (1996). Cohabitation versus marriage: A comparison of relationship quality. Journal of Marriage and Family, 58, 668–678.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S., & Kawamura, S. (2010). Relationship quality among cohabitors and marrieds in older adulthood. Working Paper Series WP-10-01. National Center for Family & Marriage Research, Bowling Green State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S. L., Lee, G. R., & Bulanda, J. R. (2006). Cohabitation among older adults: A national portrait. Journal of Gerontology, 61B, S71–S79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, S. L., & Manning, W. D. (2009). Family boundary ambiguity and the measurement of family structure: The significance of cohabitation. Demography, 46, 85–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Browning, S. W. (1994). Treating stepfamilies: Alternatives to traditional family therapy. In K. Pasley & M. Ihinger-Tallman (Eds.), Stepparenting: Issues in theory, research, and practice (pp. 175–198). Westport, CT: Greenwood.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Buckle, L., Gallup, G. G., & Rodd, Z. A. (1996). Marriage as a reproductive contract: Patterns of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Ethology and Sociobiology, 17, 363–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bulcroft, K. A., & Bulcroft, R. A. (1991). The timing of divorce: Effects on parent-child relationships in later life. Research on Aging, 13, 226–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bulcroft, K., Bulcroft, R., Hatch, L., & Borgatta, E. (1989). Antecedents and consequences of remarriage in later life. Research on Aging, 11, 82–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burgoyne, C. B., & Morison, V. (1997). Money in remarriage: Keeping things simple and separate. Sociological Review, 45, 363–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burks, V. K., Lund, D. A., Gregg, C. H., & Bluhm, H. P. (1988). Bereavement and remarriage for older adults. Death Studies, 12, 51–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Capaldi, D. M., & Patterson, G. R. (1991). Relation of parental transitions to boys’ adjustment problems: I. A linear hypotheses. II. Mothers at risk for transitions and unskilled parenting. Developmental Psychology, 27, 489–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, D. (2004). The desire to date and remarry among older widows and widowers. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66, 1051–1068.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright, C., & Gibson, K. (2013). The effects of co-parenting relationships with ex-spouses on couples in step-families. Family Matters, 92, 18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castro Martin, T., & Bumpass, L. (1989). Recent trends in marital disruption. Demography, 26, 37–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ceglian, C. P., & Gardner, S. (1999). Attachment style: A risk for multiple marriages. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 31, 125–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cherlin, A. (1978). Remarriage as an incomplete institution. American Journal of Sociology, 84, 634–650.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chipperfield, J. G., & Havens, B. (2001). Gender differences in the relationship between marital status transitions and life satisfaction in later life. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 56B, 176–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cissna, K. N., Cox, D. E., & Bochner, A. P. (1990). The dialectic of marital and parental relationships within the stepfamily. Communication Monographs, 57, 44–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarksberg, M., Stelzenberg, R. M., & Waite, L. (1995). Attitudes, values, and entrance into cohabitational versus marital unions. Social Forces, 74, 609–632.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clingempeel, W. G. (1981). Quasi-kin relationships and marital quality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 890–901.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clingempeel, W. G., & Brand, E. (1985). Quasi-kin relationships, structural complexity, and marital quality in stepfamilies: A replication, extension, and clinical implications. Family Relations, 34, 401–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clingempeel, W. G., Colyar, J. J., Brand, E., & Hetherington, E. M. (1992). Children’s relationships with maternal grandparents: A longitudinal study of family structure and pubertal status effects. Child Development, 63, 1404–1422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, M., Fine, M., Ganong, L., Downs, K., & Pauk, N. (2001). When you’re not the Brady Bunch: Identifying perceived conflicts and resolution strategies in stepfamilies. Personal Relationships, 8, 55–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, M., & Ganong, L. (1989). Financial management in stepfamilies. Lifestyles: Family and Economic Issues, 10, 217–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, M., & Ganong, L. (1995). Insiders’ and outsiders’ beliefs about stepfamilies: Assessment and implications for practice. In D. Huntley (Ed.), Understanding stepfamilies: Implications for assessment and treatment (pp. 101–112). Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, M., Ganong, L., & Weaver, S. (2001). Maintenance and enhancement in remarried families. In J. Harvey & A. Wenzel (Eds.), Close romantic relationships: Maintenance and enhancement (pp. 255–276). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosbie-Burnett, M. (1988). Impact of joint versus maternal legal custody, sex and age of adolescent, and family structure complexity on adolescent in remarried families. Conciliation Courts Review, 26, 47–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crosbie-Burnett, M., & Giles-Sims, J. (1991). Marital power in stepfather families: A test of normative-resource theory. Journal of Family Psychology, 4, 484–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cutrona, C. E., Russell, D. W., Burzette, R. G., Wesner, K. A., & Bryant, C. M. (2011). Predicting relationship stability among midlife African American couples. Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 79, 814–825.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson, K. (2002). Gender differences in new partnership choices and constraints for older widows and widowers. Ageing International, 27, 43–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deal, J. E., Stanley Hagan, M., & Anderson, J. C. (1992). The marital relationships in remarried families. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 57(2-3, Serial No. 227), 73–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeGarmo, D. S., & Forgatch, M. (1999). Contexts as predictors of changing maternal parenting practices in diverse family structures: A social interactional perspective of risk and resilience. In E. M. Hetherington (Ed.), Coping with divorce, single parenting and remarriage: A risk and resiliency approach (pp. 227–252). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Jong Gierveld, J., & Merz, E.-M. (2013). Parents’ partnership decision making after divorce or widowhood: The role of (step)children. Journal of Marriage and Family, 75, 1098–1113. doi:10.1111/jomf.12061.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Jong Gierveld, J., & Peeters, A. (2003). The interweaving of repartnered older adults’ lives with their children and siblings. Ageing and Society, 23, 187–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demo, D. H., & Acock, A. C. (1993). Family diversity and the division of domestic labor: How much have things really changed? Family Relations, 42, 323–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrell, J., & Markman, H. (1986). Individual and interpersonal factors in the etiology of marital distress: The example of remarital couples. In R. Gilmour & S. Duck (Eds.), The emerging field of personal relationships (pp. 251–263). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, H. E. (1989). Evolution of human serial pairbonding. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 78, 331–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fishman, B. (1983). The economic behavior of stepfamilies. Family Relations, 32, 359–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forster-Jones, J. (2007). Family diversification in Australia. People and Place, 15, 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furstenberg, F., & Spanier, G. (1984). Recycling the family: Remarriage after divorce. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganong, L., & Coleman, M. (1988). Do mutual children cement bonds in stepfamilies? Journal of Marriage and Family, 50, 687–698.

    Article  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., 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., & Weaver, S. (2002). Maintenance and enhancement in remarried families: Clinical applications. In J. Harvey & A. Wenzel (Eds.), A clinicians guide to maintaining and enhancing close relationships (pp. 105–129). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gentry, M., & Schulman, A. (1988). Remarriage as a coping response for widowhood. Psychology and Aging, 3, 191–196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giles-Sims, J. (1987). Social exchange in remarried families. In K. Pasley & M. Ihinger-Tallman (Eds.), Remarriage and stepparenting today: Research and theory (pp. 141–163). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldscheider, F., & Kaufman, G. (2006). Willingness to stepparent: Attitudes about partners who already have children. Journal of Family Issues, 27, 1415–1436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golish, T. D. (2003). Stepfamily communication strengths: Understanding the ties that bind. Human Communication Research, 29, 41–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greeff, A. P., & Du Toit, C. (2009). Resilience in remarried families. American Journal of Family Therapy, 37(2), 114–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guisinger, S., Cowan, P., & Schuldberg, D. (1989). Changing parent and spouse relations in the first years of remarriage of divorced fathers. Journal of Marriage and Family, 51, 445–456.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halford, K., Nicholson, J., & Sanders, M. (2007). Couple communication in stepfamilies. Family Process, 46(4), 471–483.

    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 

  • Hanzal, A., & Segrin, C. (2008). Conflict patterns and family of origin conflict in newly initiated remarriages. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 49(1-2), 41–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hetherington, E. M., & Clingempeel, W. G. (1992). Coping with marital transitions: A family systems perspective. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 57 (2–3, Serial No. 227).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hetherington, E. M., & Elmore, A. M. (2003). Risk and resilience in children coping with their parents’ divorce and remarriage. In S. Goldstein & R. B. Brooks (Eds.), Resilience and vulnerability: Adaptation in the context of childhood adversities (pp. 182–212). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hobart, C. (1991). Conflict in remarriages. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 15, 69–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hochschild, A., & Machung, A. (1989). The second shift. New York: Avon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Humble, Á. M. (2009). The second time ‘round: Gender construction in remarried couples’ wedding planning. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 50(4), 260–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ihinger-Tallman, M., & Pasley, K. (1986). Remarriage and integration within the community. Journal of Marriage and Family, 48, 395–405.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishii-Kuntz, M., & Coltrane, S. (1992). Remarriage, stepparenting, and household labor. Journal of Family Issues, 13, 215–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson, D. (1993). What’s fair: Concepts of financial management in stepfamily households. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 19, 221–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jamison, T., Coleman, M., Ganong, L., & Feistman, R. (2014). Transitioning to post-divorce family life: A grounded theory investigation of resilience in coparenting. Family Relations, 63, 411–423. doi:10.1111/fare.12074.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, D. R., & Booth, A. (1998). Marital quality: A product of the dyadic environment or individual factors? Social Forces, 76, 883–904.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaar, P., Jokela, J., Merila, J., Helle, T., & Kojola, I. (1998). Sexual conflict and remarriage in preindustrial human populations: Causes and fitness consequences. Evolution and Human Behavior, 19, 139–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karlson, S. G., & Borell, K. (2005). A home of their own: Women’s boundary work in LAT-relationships. Journal of Aging Studies, 19, 73–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, H. (2010). Exploratory study on the factors affecting marital satisfaction among remarried Korean couples. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 91(2), 193–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, V., & Scott, M. (2005). A comparison of cohabiting relationships among older and younger adults. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67, 271–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koepke, L., Hare, J., & Moran, P. B. (1992). Relationship quality in a sample of Lesbian couples with children and child-free Lesbian couples. Family Relations, 41(2), 224–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kreider, R. M. (2008). Living arrangements of children, 2004. US Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census Bureau.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurdek, L. A. (1989). Relationship quality for newly married husbands and wives: Marital history, stepchildren, and individual-difference predictors. Journal of Marriage and Family, 51, 1053–1064.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurdek, L. A. (1990). Spouse attributes and spousal interactions as dimensions of relationship quality in first-married and remarried newlywed men and women. Journal of Family Issues, 11, 91–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurdek, L. A. (1991). Marital stability and changes in marital quality in newly wed couples: A test of the contextual model. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 8, 27–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurdek, L. A. (1999). The nature and predictors of the trajectory of change of marital quality for husbands and wives over the first 10 years of marriage. Developmental Psychology, 35, 1283–1296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larson, J. H., & Allgood, S. M. (1987). A comparison of intimacy in first-married and remarried couples. Journal of Family Issues, 8, 319–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livingston, G. (2014, November). Four-in-ten couples are saying “I do,” again. Pew Research Center, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lown, J. M., & Dolan, E. M. (1988). Financial challenges in remarriage. Lifestyles: Family and Economic Issues, 9, 73–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lowenstein, A., & Ron, P. (1999). Adult children of elderly parents who remarry: Etiology of domestic abuse. The Journal of Adult Protection, 2, 22–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucier-Greer, M., Adler-Baeder, F., Ketring, S. A., Harcourt, K. T., & Smith, T. (2013). Comparing the experiences of couples in first marriages and remarriages in couple and relationship education. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 53(1), 55–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malone, K., Stewart, S. D., Wilson, J., & Korschling, P. F. (2010). Perceptions of financial well-being among American women in diverse families. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 31, 63–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matin-Uzzi, M., & Duval-Tsioles, D. (2013). The experience of remarried couples in blended families. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 54, 43–57. doi:10.1080/10502556.2012.743828.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCranie, E. W., & Kahan, J. (1986). Personality and multiple divorce: A prospective study. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 174, 161–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGue, M., & Lykken, D. T. (1992). Genetic influence on risk of divorce. Psychological Science, 3(6), 368–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKain, W. C. (1972). A new look at older marriages. The Family Coordinator, 21, 61–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, M. J., Larson, J. H., Busby, D., & Harper, J. (2012). Working hard or hardly working? Comparing relationship self-regulation levels of cohabiting, married, and remarried individuals. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 53(2), 142–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mirecki, R. M., Brimhall, A. S., & Bramesfeld, K. D. (2013). Communication during conflict: Differences between individuals in first and second marriages. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 54(3), 197–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moorman, S. M., Booth, A., & Fingerman, K. L. (2006). Women’s romantic relationships after widowhood. Journal of Family Issues, 27(9), 1281–1304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moss, S. Z., & Moss, M. S. (1980). Remarriage a triadic relationship. Conciliation Courts Review, 18, 15–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Brien, T. B., DeLongis, A., Pomaki, G., Puterman, E., & Zwicker, A. (2009). Couples coping with stress: The role of empathic responding. European Psychologist, 14, 18–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osborne, C., Berger, L. M., & Magnuson, K. (2012). Family structure transitions and changes in maternal resources and well-being. Demography, 49, 23–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Pasley, K., & Ihinger-Tallman, M. (1990). Remarriage in later adulthood: Correlates of perceptions of family adjustment. Family Perspectives, 24, 263–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pasley, K., Koch, M. G., & Ihinger-Tallman, M. (1993). Problems in remarriage: An exploratory study of intact and terminated remarriages. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 20, 63–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pasley, K., Sandras, E., & Edmondson, M. E. (1994). The effects of financial management strategies on the quality of family life in remarriage. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 15, 53–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters, A., & Liefbroer, A. C. (1997). Beyond marital status: Partner history and well-being in old age. Journal of Marriage and Family, 59, 687–699.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prado, L. M., & Markman, H. J. (1999). Unearthing the seeds of marital distress: What we have learned from married and unmarried couples. In M. Cox & J. Brooks-Gunn (Eds.), Conflict and cohesion families: Causes and consequences (pp. 51–85). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyke, K., & Coltrane, S. (1996). Entitlement, obligation, and gratitude in family work. Journal of Family Issues, 17, 60–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pyke, K. D. (1994). Women’s employment as a gift or burden? Marital power across marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Gender and Society, 8, 73–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ragsdale, J. D., Brandau-Brown, F., & Bello, R. (2010). Attachment style and gender as predictors of relational repair among the remarried rationale for the study. Journal of Family Communication, 10, 158–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raley, R. K., & Wildsmith, E. (2004). Cohabitation and children’s family instability. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66, 210–219. doi:10.1111/j.0022-2445.2004.00014.x-i1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, S. J. (1996). Marital quality, mothers’ parenting and children’s outcomes: A comparison of mother/father and mother/stepfather families. Sociological Focus, 29, 325–340.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, S. J. (1999). The nexus of job satisfaction, marital satisfaction and individual well-being: Does marriage order matter? Research in the Sociology of Work, 7, 141–167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saint‐Jacques, M. C., Robitaille, C., Godbout, É., Parent, C., Drapeau, S., & Gagne, M. H. (2011). The processes distinguishing stable from unstable stepfamily couples: A qualitative analysis. Family Relations, 60(5), 545–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmeeckle, M. (2007). Gender dynamics in stepfamilies: Adult stepchildren’s views. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69, 174–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmiege, C., Richards, L., & Zvonkovic, A. (2001). Remarriage: For love or money? Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 36, 123–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schramm, D. G., & Adler-Baeder, F. (2012). Marital quality for men and women in stepfamilies examining the role of economic pressure, common stressors, and stepfamily-specific stressors. Journal of Family Issues, 33, 1373–1397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schrodt, P. (2010). Coparental communication with nonresidential parents as a predictor of couples’ relational satisfaction and mental health in stepfamilies. Western Journal of Communication, 74, 484–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schrodt, P. (2011). Stepparents’ and nonresidential parents’ relational satisfaction as a function of coparental communication in stepfamilies. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 28, 983–1004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schrodt, P., & Braithwaite, D. O. (2011). Coparental communication, relational satisfaction, and mental health in stepfamilies. Personal Relationships, 18, 352–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shafer, K., Jensen, T. M., Pace, G. T., & Larson, L. H. (2013). Former spouse ties and postivorce relationship quality: Relationship effort as a mediator. Journal of Social Service Research, 39(5), 629–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, D. N., & Stewart, A. J. (2012). Dyadic support in stepfamilies: Buffering against depressive symptoms among more and less experienced stepparents. Journal of Family Psychology, 26, 833–838.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheehy, G. (1996). New passages: Mapping your life across time. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, C. W., & Bauer, J. W. (2008). Financial conflicts facing late-life remarried Alzheimers’ disease caregivers. Family Relations, 57, 492–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, C. W., & Boss, P. (2007). Spousal dementia caregiving in the context of late-life remarriage. Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 6, 245–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siodia, C. (2014). Married once, twice, and three or more times: Data from the American Community Survey. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 55, 206–215. doi:10.1080/10502556.2014.887377.

    Article  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 

  • Spanier, G. B., & Furstenberg, F. F. (1987). Remarriage and reconstituted families. In M. B. Sussman & S. Steinmetz (Eds.), Handbook of marriage and the family (pp. 419–434). New York: Plenum.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, S. M., Markman, H. J., & Whitton, S. M. (2002). Communication, conflict, and commitment: Insights on the foundations of relationship success from a national survey. Family Process, 41, 659–675.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, S. D. (2002). Contemporary American stepparenthood: Integrating cohabiting and nonresident stepparents. Population Research and Policy Review, 20, 345–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, S. D. (2005a). Boundary ambiguity in stepfamilies. Journal of Family Issues, 26, 1002–1029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, S. D. (2005b). How the birth of a child affects involvement with stepchildren. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67, 461–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, O. (1997). The division of housework among ‘remarried’ couples. Journal of Family Issues, 18, 205–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Talbott, M. M. (1998). Older widows’ attitudes toward men and remarriage. Journal of Aging Studies, 12, 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teachman, J. (2008). Complex life course patterns and the risk of divorce in second marriages. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70, 294–305.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tinson, J., Nancarrow, C., & Brace, I. (2008). Purchase decision making and the increasing significance of family types. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 25, 45–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tower, R. B., Kasi, S. V., & Darefsky, A. S. (2002). Types of marital closeness and mortality risk in older couples. Psychosomatic Medicine, 64, 644–659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tzeng, J. M., & Mare, R. D. (1995). Labor market and socioeconomic effects on marital stability. Social Science Research, 24, 329–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Eeden-Moorefield, B., Pasley, K., Dolan, E. M., & Engel, M. (2007). From divorce to remarriage: Financial management and security among remarried women. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 47(3/4), 21–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vemer, E., Coleman, M., Ganong, L., & Cooper, H. (1989). Marital satisfaction in remarriage: A meta-analysis. Journal of Marriage and Family, 51, 713–725.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vespa, J. (2012). Union formation in later life: Economic determinants of cohabitation and remarriage among older adults. Demography, 49, 1103–1125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vinick, B. H. (1978). Remarriage in old age. The Family Coordinator, 27, 359–363.

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Walzer, S., & Oles, T. (2003). Managing conflict after marriages end: A qualitative study of narratives of ex-spouses. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 84(2), 192–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, W. K., Bell, N. J., & Stelle, C. (2010). Women narrate later life remarriage: Negotiating the cultural to create the personal. Journal of Aging Studies, 24, 302–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, S. E., & Coleman, M. (2005). A mothering but not a mother role: A grounded theory study of the nonresidential stepmother role. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 22, 477–497.

    Article  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 

  • Weston, C. A., & Macklin, E. D. (1990). The relationship between former-spousal contact and remarital satisfaction in stepfather families. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 14(2), 25–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, L. K., & Booth, A. (1985). The quality and stability of remarriages: The role of stepchildren. American Sociological Review, 50, 689–698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitton, S. W., Stanley, S. M., Markman, H. J., & Johnson, C. A. (2013). Attitudes toward divorce, commitment, and divorce proneness in first marriages and remarriages. Journal of Marriage and Family, 75, 276–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilder, S. E. (2012). A dialectical examination of remarriage dyadic communication and communication with social networks. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 13, 63–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willetts, M. C. (2006). Union quality comparisons between long-term heterosexual cohabitation and legal marriage. Journal of Family Issues, 27(1), 110–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, J. C. (2000). Unbending gender: Why work and family conflict and what to do about it. New York: Oxford University.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

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). Couple Dynamics in Stepfamilies. In: Stepfamily Relationships. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7702-1_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7702-1_5

  • 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