Bibliographies
The following bibliography has been compiled from the Australian Family & Society Abstracts database and other resources held in the Institute's library. Where available a link to the document on the Web is provided. Most items can be borrowed from the Institute's library via the inter library loan system. Online publications in PDF format require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Stepfamilies
The child-stepparent relationship: Its fragility and its
importance.
Pryor, Jan
In: Families Matter: 9th
Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, February
2005 - proceedings. Melbourne, Vic: Australian Institute of Family
Studies, 2005, 8p, Online only
This paper reports findings
from the Resilience in Stepfamilies project completed in 2004. It focuses
on the child-stepparent relationship as assessed by multiple informants,
and on the associations between its quality and outcomes for both
children and families. Assessments were of affective components of the
relationship, rather than behavioural. The findings indicate that this
relationship is assessed as comparatively lower in quality than the
relationships the child has with other adults including resident and
non-resident parents. However, it proved to be salient for children's
self concept, and for family cohesion and expressiveness. The involvement
of stepparents in children's lives was also important for children's
behaviour. These findings indicate that contrary to earlier conclusions,
the relationships between children and their stepparents is a central
component of well being in stepfamilies and of children's behaviour.
(Author abstract)
Commitment and cohabitation with stepfamilies.
Martin, S
Threshold no.76 Apr 2003: 31-32
The author
looks at some of the complexities of stepfamilies and provides a list of
dos and don'ts for marriage educators working with stepfamilies.
Dealing with separation:
Experiences, tips and tools.
Child Support
Agency (Australia)
Canberra,
ACT: Child Support Agency, 2005, CD ROM
Information
on how to deal with separation is presented on this
CD ROM. It includes tips for rebuilding relationships
with children after separation; practical ideas for
looking after yourself after separation; times on
how to build a business like relationship with the
other parent; tips on management of personal finances;
tips on living with step families or blended families;
and answers to frequently asked questions about child
support.
Disenfranchised grief in stepfamilies.
Gerrard, I
Grief Matters v.5 no.1 Autumn 2002: 11-14
This article explores the idea of disenfranchised grief
in stepfamilies. It is suggested that many losses individuals
in stepfamilies experience are often not recognised,
articulated or sanctioned either within our culture
or by stepfamily members themselves. Examples where
grief can be disenfranchised are given - focusing on
children at the stepfamily formation stage, all family
members at the post formation stage, and couples in
relation to differing life experience. Additionally
the paradox of incorporating the past while also moving
ahead is seen to be crucial in the resolution of grief
for stepfamily members. It is suggested that counsellors
and educators alike become familiar with hidden losses
stepfamily members may be experiencing so that they
can help stepfamilies not only to survive but to reach
their full potential. (Journal abstract)
An exploration of the impact of the Family
Court process on 'invisible' stepparents.
Gately,
Natalie J; Pike, Lisbeth T; Murphy, Paul T
Journal
of Divorce & Remarriage v.44 no.3 - no.4
2006: 31-52, figure
Many parents repartner
within a few years of family separation. The impact
of child custody decisions on new stepparents is rarely
considered in family court matters. This study examined
the experiences of 12 stepparents. It explores themes
of exclusion, invisibility and perceived inequity in
the family law system. The research is grounded in
family systems theory.
Family size, family type and student achievement:
Cross-national differences and the role of socioeconomic
and school factors.
Marks, Gary
N
Journal of Comparative Family
Studies v.37 no.1 Winter 2006: 1-24, tables
What
are the effects of family size and family types on
student achievement in reading and mathematics? This
study uses data from 30 countries to examine this question,
looking at family type - divorced, intact, single parent
or step parent families; number of siblings; socio
economic background; resources in the home; and academic
achievement.
Hell ...p! I'm a stepmother.
Ridden, S
Camberwell, Vic: Australian Council for Educational Research, 2002, 212p,
ill.
Based on her own stepmothering experience and the
experiences other stepparents have shared with her throughout her years
as a therapist, the author provides practical suggestions and helpful
strategies on how to deal with stepparenting concerns and stresses.
"I Want to Be Just Like Their
Real Dad"-
Factors associated with stepfather adoption
Lamb, Kathleen A.
Journal of Family Issues v.28 no.9 2007: 1162-1188
Making molehills out of mountains: A practical guide for
stepfamilies.
Howden, Margaret
Clifton Hill, Vic:
Stepfamily Association of Victoria, 2004, 90p, tables, figures
There are no clear guidelines for stepfamily success, this book says;
however, it aims to describe the stepfamily, cover the issues and
complicated experiences that are involved in stepfamily life and provide
advice for parents. It covers: the transition into the stepfamily;
separation, divorce or death; communication; parenting roles; children;
maintaining a strong couple relationship; and dealing with the extended
family and wider community.
Me
and my changing family: Moving forward: tips on building healthy
relationships after separation (PDF 277 KB).
Child Support Agency
(Australia)
Sydney, NSW: Child Support Agency, 2006, 55p, Online
Important things to consider when repartnering or
forming a blended family are explored in this booklet,
which provides information for parents about: repartnered
families, changing relationships, helping children
cope with repartnering, children's perspectives of
relationships and children's feelings, sorting out
family 'job descriptions', family meetings, family
goal setting, rules, discipline, routines and family
arrangements, legal issues, financial issues, building
family traditions, help for step parents in getting
along with step children, getting along with their
new partner's ex, extended family, when their ex
has repartnered, and grandparents.
Relationships of children in stepfamilies with their non-resident
fathers (PDF 294 KB).
Smith, Marjorie
Family Matters no.67
Autumn 2004: 28-35, and Online
The number of
children living in stepfamilies is increasing. Most
of these children have another parent (usually the
father) who is not resident in the household but with
whom they have some contact. Children's views of the
frequency of this contact, and the quality of father-child
and other family relationships were explored in a recent
study undertaken in the UK between 1998 and 2002. 'The
Study of Stepchildren and Step-parenting', is reported
on in this article.
Relationship diversity and the law (PDF 165 KB).
Caruana, C
Family Matters no.63 Spring - Summer 2002: 60-65, tables and Online
Families in Australia take many and varied forms,
including blended families, sole parent families, families headed by same
sex couples, and with children conceived from donor sperm. In this
article the author asks how the law is responding to accommodate
diversity in relationships and family structure. She provides an
overview of social trends and an historical background in relationship
diversity, and examines the current status of family law with regard to
marriage, children residence and contact, financial support of children,
adoption, and property redistribution.
Snapshot of couple families with stepparent-child
relationships (PDF 141 KB).
Qu, Lixia; Weston, Ruth
Family
Matters no.70 Autumn 2005: 36-37, table, figure, Online
Stepparent-child relationships that cross household boundaries, through
the repartnering of a non resident parent (typically the father) are
rarely documented in statistics on family types. In this article the
authors explore the prevalence of these relationships within households
and of those that cross household boundaries. The authors provide a
snapshot which highlights the complicated stepparent - child arrangements
that exist as a result of the changing pathways to stepfamily
formation.
Stepfamily living and parent-child relationships: An
exploratory investigation.
Cartwright, Claire
Journal of Family Studies v.11 no.2 Oct 2005: 267-283
Results
from research with stepfamilies indicate that some residential
parent-child relationships deteriorate after parents remarry. This paper
reports on three interview studies, the dual aims of which were to
develop greater insight into what occurs in parent-child relationships in
stepfamily households and the impact of different parenting practices on
these relationships. Fifty-one participants took part in individual or
group interviews. These participants included 9 therapists experienced in
working with stepfamilies, 28 young adults who grew up in stepfamilies,
and 14 stepfamily members. This third group consisted of 7 preadolescent
children and their residential biological mothers. The present results
focus on a number of themes that emerged across the three studies, with
particular reference to parenting practices that were experienced as
either difficult or supportive. These concerned the importance of
parental time and attention; information, communication, and consultation
regarding family changes; the different meanings that remarriage has for
parents and children; the stepparent role; and ongoing interparental
conflict. (Journal abstract)
Stepparenting in Australia.
Kelley, J; Evans,
M D R
Australian Social Monitor v.6 no.1 Mar 2003: 1-4
Today about 9 percent of Australian adults are or have been stepparents,
either with live-in stepchildren or with regular visitor stepchildren.
There has been little change in this since the mid 1990s. This article
looks at stepparenting in Australia, and discusses the number of people
who experience stepparenthood, the social status of stepparents and the
consequences of stepparenting. Most stepchildren come to a marriage from
a prior divorce, although a parent's death and birth outside marriage
contribute as well. Stepparenting occurs throughout the social
hierarchy. An analysis of its impact on overall happiness shows that
stepparents are happier than single people, but less happy than married
people without stepchildren.
The wellness way for healthy stepfamilies: Instructor
handbook.
Doub, George; Morante, Ana; Simile, Mike;
Simile, Erin; Creighton, Flo
Parramatta, NSW: Anglicare, 2005, 99p,
figures, plus CD ROM
This publication is part of the Family
Wellness program, and aims to provide family wellness instructors with
additional theory, content and skills for working with stepfamilies. The
sessions provide tools and skills needed for stepfamilies and cover the
following topics: building a healthy stepfamily; parents as leaders in
healthy stepfamilies; building relationships in stepfamilies - parents as
models; children in healthy stepfamilies; adult relationships in healthy
stepfamilies; change in stepfamilies; problem in stepfamilies; and sex
and drugs - passing on values in stepfamilies.
Young adults' perceptions of parents' responses in
stepfamilies: What hurts? What helps?
Cartwright, C;
Seymour, F
Journal of Divorce & Remarriage v.37 no.3 - no.4 2002:
123-141
The focus of most stepfamily relationship research
has been the relationships between stepparents and stepchildren. However,
the authors suggest that the relationship between bioparent and child in
stepfamily households may be more important to child wellbeing. They
describe a study of bioparent responses to children in stepfamilies. The
study investigated young adults' perceptions of hurtful or helpful
parental responses in a range of childhood situations.