Helping Stepfathers ‘‘Step Away’’ From the Role of ‘‘Father’’: Directions for Family Intervention

Abstract

This article will use current data to confirm the growing numbers of stepfamilies as a legitimate family constellation in 21st century America. Given those incidences of stepfamily formation, clinicians need to understand salient characteristics of stepfathering as the most recent addition to the family dynamics as a way to support healthy stepfamily integration. This article will review the current literature to provide those descriptions in terms of family interaction patterns and of interactions with the nonresidential father leading to implications for clinical interventions.

“Hello group, I need advice”: A Textual Analysis of Black Fathers' Help‐Seeking Posts on Facebook

“…Should I speak to this dude about this? (Walter)In his post, Walter brings up a challenging, yet a common, type of relationship conflict for stepfamilies (Gold, 2010)—whether his son's new stepfather should be called “Dad.” Walter is not ostensibly opposed to his son calling his stepfather “Dad” but thinks his son should “make that call” on his own. In his last sentence, Walter seeks advice as to whether he should speak to the stepfather about this conflict.…”

Stepfather: Where Is the Accent Placed in This Compound Word?

“…Even more recently, the Pew Research Center data claimed that 30% of all children under the age of 18 will spend part of their childhood in a stepfamily (Jensen, 2017, 2018; Jensen & Pace, 2016; King & Lindstrom, 2016). Equally important is the knowledge that about 85% of stepfamilies consist of a biological mother, her children, and a stepfather (Gold, 2010, 2016a), designating stepfamilies with a stepfather as the more prevalent family constellation over those stepfamilies with a stepmother.…”

“…Historically, the role and function of fathers, apart from that of family disciplinarian and provider, have long paled as a predictor of childhood well-being and family sustainability in comparison to the “mother template” (Berger, Carlson, Bzostek, & Osborne, 2008; Gold, 2010, 2016a, 2016b; Gold & Adeyemi, 2013, p. 99; Goodsell, Barrus, Meldrum, & Vargo, 2010; Jensen, 2017, 2018; Schenck, Braver, Saenz, Cokston, & Fabricus, 2009). However, more recently, the importance of fathers in nontraditional roles is being recognized, and their presence is valued.…”

Rearranging the Puzzle: Working Systemically with Stepfamilies when Parents Re‐partner

“…They also encourage stepparents to make an effort to bond by finding common interests with the stepchild, and not to be discouraged in the face of initial rejection (McGoldrick & Carter, , pp. 400–401; Ganong, Coleman & Jamison, , p. 405; Gold, , p. 212; Papernow, , pp. 209–111).…”

“…73, 131). Coaching could also occur to encourage quality time outside of sessions (Gold, , pp. 211–212; Michaels, , pp.…”