Citation

Jensen TM, Lippold MA, Mills-Koonce R, Fosco GM. Fam. Process 2018; 57(2): 477-495.

Affiliation

Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Family Process Institute, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/famp.12284

PMID

28266715

Abstract

The stepfamily literature is replete with between-group analyses by which youth residing in stepfamilies are compared to youth in other family structures across indicators of adjustment and well-being. Few longitudinal studies examine variation in stepfamily functioning to identify factors that promote the positive adjustment of stepchildren over time. Using a longitudinal sample of 191 stepchildren (56% female, mean age = 11.3 years), the current study examines the association between the relationship quality of three central stepfamily dyads (stepparent-child, parent-child, and stepcouple) and children's internalizing and externalizing problems concurrently and over time.

RESULTS from path analyses indicate that higher levels of parent-child affective quality are associated with lower levels of children's concurrent internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 1. Higher levels of stepparent-child affective quality are associated with decreases in children's internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 2 (6 months beyond baseline), even after controlling for children's internalizing and externalizing problems at Wave 1 and other covariates. The stepcouple relationship was not directly linked to youth outcomes. Our findings provide implications for future research and practice.

© 2017 Family Process Institute.

Language: en

Keywords

Child Adjustment; Children; Family Processes; Family Relationships; Stepfamily; adaptación de los niños; familia reconstituida; niños; procesos familiares; relaciones familiares; 儿童; 儿童适应; 家庭关系; 家庭过程; 继亲