Understanding Stepfamilies takes a large step toward achieving integration of the many variables presented in understanding the stepfamily system. The book examines the dynamics and resources within these complex family systems. It helps clinicians and researchers understand the underlying structural patterns and dynamics of stepfamilies, promoting more successful, positive treatment outcomes. Chapters in Understanding Stepfamilies offer clinicians and researchers an international perspective, including contributions from the U.S., Canada, Israel, and The Netherlands. Readers learn of unique theoretical approaches to understanding stepfamily typologies and behaviors and specific clinical models for assessment and intervention, as well as more empirically-based findings regarding parent-child interactions.

Despite the growing number of stepfamilies, and the recognition that they experience unique difficulties related to their complex family dynamics, there is very little support available to them. In this practical, evidence-based guide Lisa Doodson offers a valuable resource for professionals working with stepfamilies, giving insight into their unique nature and guidance on how to provide more effective support and advice. In addition to the wealth of research and knowledge that the book shares, there are a range of case studies which illustrate issues that the different types of stepfamilies frequently face. Each chapter also contains practical tools and exercises that professionals can use with their clients to help facilitate change in the family unit, as well as interventions including mediation and group workshops, and more traditional counselling techniques. Understanding Stepfamilies is a must have resource for counsellors and therapists, social workers, local authorities, charities and teaching professionals working with stepfamilies.

It is estimated that between 33% and 40% of all United States children will live with a stepfamily. Due to the complexity, ambiguous roles, negative perceptions, and unrealistic expectations of many stepfamilies, members of such families are increasingly being seen by mental health professionals. This monograph is aimed at professionals to help them understand stepfamilies by providing practical and applied information. Some of the areas covered here include the developmental stages of the stepfamily, types of stepfamilies, specific assessment techniques for stepfamilies, and treatment considerations. Part 1 provides the groundwork for recognizing some of the characteristics of stepfamilies, including clinical issues, pitfalls, and systemic intervention. In Part 2, children and adolescents are examined, along with the risks encountered by children in a stepfamily. Part 3 outlines the beliefs and expectations of stepfamilies, taking care to analyze stereotypes of stepfamilies, new assessment techniques designed to assess maladaptive cognitions of stepfamily members, and the role of self-fulfilling prophecies in stepfamily success or failure. Each chapter offers a complete discussion of the nature of stepfamilies, along with practical suggestions for assessment and treatment of these families. Individual chapters contain references. (RJM).

Combining theoretical, empirical, and clinical knowledge, Stepfamilies: A Multi-Dimensional Perspective contains recent research and information that will help mental health practitioners, family therapists, psychologists, and counselors understand the characteristics, dynamics, needs, and issues of nonclinical stepfamilies. Based on direct experiences with diverse types of stepfamilies, this book gives you new guidelines and strategies that will enable you to offer more successful sessions to your clients and improve your effectiveness as a practitioner. Developed to give you a more realistic understanding of stepfamilies, this text helps you avoid the stereotypes and false perceptions that often surround stepfamilies. Offering methods and strategies aimed at making your clients feel comfortable about themselves and their situations, Stepfamilies: A Multi-Dimensional Perspective examines several aspects of these families that you need to know in order to improve your effectiveness with them, including: the definition and description of stepfamilies and recognizing historical and social changes in the stepfamily structure critical reviews on the present knowledge of stepfamilies describing the complexity of family structure, the ambiguity of boundaries and roles, and the struggle with the diverse phases of the life cycle discussing key issues for stepfamilies, such as past orientation and acceptance/rejection of differences from non-stepfamilies and focal subsystems the profile, characteristics, and case studies of an innovative typology of stepfamilies that includes integrated families, invented families, and imported families aspects of ethnically and culturally different stepfamilies, including American stepfamilies, Israeli stepfamilies, and immigrant stepfamilies from the former Soviet Union social perceptions and attitudes of stepfamilies in schools, social services, community organizations, the media, and with the lawOffering case studies and data on a variety of families and situations, Stepfamilies: A Multi-Dimensional Perspective will show you that all stepfamilies are not the same and cannot be helped by just one practice method. Complete with principles and instruments to assess patients and the success of sessions, Stepfamilies: A Multi-Dimensional Perspective works to promote an understanding of stepfamilies that will result in effective and positive therapy for your clients.

This second edition synthesizes the emerging knowledge base on the diversity of stepfamilies, their inherent concerns, and why so relatively little is still known about them. Its extensive findings shed needed light on family arrangements relatively new to the literature (e.g., cohabitating stepparents), the effects of these relationships on different family members (e.g., stepsiblings, stepgrandparents), the experiences of gay and lesbian stepfamilies, and the stigma against non-nuclear families. Coverage reviews effective therapeutic and counseling interventions for emotional, familial, and social challenges of stepfamilies, as well as the merits of family education and self-help programs. The authors explore prevailing myths about marriage, divorce, and stepfamily life while expanding the limits of stepfamily research. Among the topics included: • The cultural context of stepfamilies.• Couple dynamics in stepfamilies.• Gay and lesbian couples in stepfamilies. • The dynamics of stepparenting. • Siblings, half-siblings, and stepsiblings. • Effects of stepfamily living on children.• Clinical perspectives on stepfamily dynamics. For researchers and clinicians who work with families, it enriches the literature as it offers insights and guidelines for effective practice as well as possible avenues for future research.

First published in 1999, this book contains the findings of an exploratory study using in-depth interviews on parenting and the dynamics of Hong Kong Chinese stepfamilies. The stepfamily is a topic which is in lack of local research in Hong Kong, but is an emerging family structure which has increasing need for professional intervention. This study began as a result of the researcher’s concern about the soaring number of divorces and broken families in Hong Kong and her curiosity to uncover the untold stories of stepfamilies. The literature review, presentation and thematic analysis of the findings of this study will increase the readers knowledge and understanding of stepfamilies in contexts which are different from Western societies. This book unveils the perceptions and life experiences of the stepmothers, social workers and teachers attitudes towards stepfamilies and the parenting behaviours of stepfamilies in Hong Kong. The author has reflectively analyzed the complex interplay between the social attitudes, cultural stereotyping of stepfamilies influenced by Chinese traditional values, aspirations towards marriage and marital relationships, parental expectations and parent-child relationships, ideology and policy issues affecting professional intervention.

Written by contributors from around the world, The International Handbook of Stepfamilies: Policy and Practice in Legal, Research, and Clinical Environments is a collection of research, legal, and clinical recommendations that fills a growing need for complex, re-formed families. Using the information in this book, which includes contemporary research and its implications, you will be able to consider stepfamilies in an international context. Understand the issues that clinicians face when they work with stepfamilies, both before and after formation, and gain more knowledge about this topic as the rates of family reformation increase.

Stepfamilies: History, Research, and Policy examines language use, laws, cultural stereotypes, media images, and social policies and practices to create an understanding of how predominant views about stepfamilies and stepfamily members are constructed within society. As the rates of divorce and remarriage continue to increase, it is more important than ever to overcome nuclear family ideology and abandon the model of research that compares stepfamilies with nonstepfamilies. This book shows you how honor and empowerment can be attained in new family structures and how alternative kin networks can be just as healthy as the traditional nuclear family unit.As this book examines the ability of different societies to integrate different family forms into mainstream notions of “family,” you will realize the damaging effects of treating stepfamilies as incomplete, undesirable institutions. In fact, Stepfamilies: History, Research, and Policy will challenge your notions of family over and over again, as it discusses: key relationships in stepfamilies stepfather involvement in parenting after remarriage meaning of gender in a stepfamily differences in “investment” between biological and nonbiological parents demographic change and significant shifts in the social and cultural implications of stepfamilies attempting to reconstruct a household like that of a previous marriage the impact of stereotypes on the internal dynamics of stepfamilies and on the interactions of stepfamilies with outsiders the absence of guidelines and cultural norms for role performance and problem solving in stepfamiliesStepfamilies: History, Research, and Policy discusses both the difficulties of forming new families and households as well as the factors that promote family cohesiveness and integration in stepfamilies. From stereotypes of stepmothers to ambiguous legal relationships to child maltreatment in stepfamilies to sibling relations, there isn’t much that the penetrating lens of this book leaves uncovered.

This welcome resource provides concrete examples of how to apply multiple family systems theories and treatment planning to common stepfamily issues. A single stepfamily case study is examined through the lenses of the Adlerian, transgenerational, prescriptive play therapy, structural, cognitive behavior, solution-focused, and narrative models to provide an understanding of the benefits of each approach and how to determine the best fit for a stepfamily's presenting issues. In addition, each chapter examines ethical concerns specific to counseling stepfamilies, issues of diversity, and current research on stepfamily assessment and therapeutic outcomes. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com *To request print copies, please visit the ACA https://imis.counseling.org/store/detail *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to publications@counseling.org

The contemporary family is being distracted, disturbed and distraught by societal pressures from every direction. The nuclear family concept, believed crucial to child rearing, is becoming passé according to census data. Or has the wave of disruption to families crested? It is hoped that this bibliography will serve as a useful tool to researchers seeking further information on families and the pressures being exerted upon them in the 21st century.