• Stepparents’ contributions of step-relationships
Stepparents are supposed to take supportive roles
Authoritative parenting style tends to have better results
Stepmothers are more likely to suffer role ambiguity
Residential stepparents are advantaged for building relationships with stepchildren
• Parents’ contributions to step-relationships
Loyalty conflicts may pull children away from stepparents
Residential parents’ perception on their partners’ discipline may make the relationship building become harder
• Stepchildren’s contributions to step-relationships
Stepchildren’s openness to new parent plays an important …show more content…
Stepmothers are not likely to be appreciated for setting new household roles and correcting stepchildren’s behaviors.
Researchers found that “relationships started out well and got better or started out poorly and got worse.”
• Patterns of step-relationship development
• Accepting as a parent o Stepparents raised the stepchildren when they were infants or in early childhood o Children regard these stepparents as their parents, and closer to stepparents than their own parents o These children taking actions to maintain the relationship when they are in their adulthood
• Liking from the start o The relationship has a positive start o Children who experience the liking toward their stepparents are generally in the middle childhood or early adolescent when they first met their stepparent o It is easier for the stepparent to be liked if they share common interests with stepchildren o Stepparents are also could be liked due to what they have done to the …show more content…
• Changing trajectories o The step-relationships are improving over times when the stepchildren see stepparents’ efforts to getting closer with them
• Rejecting the stepparent o Children are avoid to see the stepmother when they perceive her as unwelcome o Parents’ “badmounthing” about the other parent and their current spouse will lead children to reject the stepparent o Stepfathers will be rejected when their roles have not been clearly defined
• Coexisting o This pattern comprised by older children who are in high schools or colleges when they officially have a stepparent o They consider stepparents as “casual acquaintances.”
• Children in blended families have higher chances to living with stepfathers, as mothers are more likely to get custody.
• Positive relationships are required both parties’ contributions
• Siblings play significant roles when stepchildren are developing bonds with stepparents.
• Half-siblings are often have positive influences on increasing cohesiveness of a blended