Second Marriages: Challenges and Risks

Abstract

Paradoxically, although second marriages have a significantly higher divorce rate than first marriages, the couples in functional and stable second marriages take greater pride and report higher satisfaction in their marriage than couples in their first marriage. This article presents an assessment/treatment program for second marriages to help couples “beat the odds” and establish a satisfying, stable marital bond of respect, trust, and intimacy. A case example presents a positive model of learning from the past and taking pride and satisfaction in the second marriage and stepfamily.

Hapless, helpless, hopeless: An analysis of stepmothers’ talk about their (male) partners

“…Definitions of stepfamilies are consequently complex, making it difficult, if not impossible, to produce an accurate picture of their prevalence. This likely reflects the fact that most children whose parents do not cohabit, live primarily with their biological mother (Kalmijn, 2015) so stepfamilies formed with the father, who repartners more quickly and more often (McCarthy, 2007), can remain unidentified as such.…”

“…Definitions of stepfamilies are consequently complex, making it difficult, if not impossible, to produce an accurate picture of their prevalence. This likely reflects the fact that most children whose parents do not cohabit live primarily with their biological mother (Kalmijn, 2015) so stepfamilies formed with the father, who re-partners more quickly and more often (McCarthy, 2007), can remain unidentified as such. Moreover, some individuals may self-define as members of a stepfamily when others might not define them in this way, while some might not define themselves as stepfamily members despite meeting definitional criteria set by others.…”

Associations between Relationship Maintenance Behaviors and Marital Stability in Remarriages

“…Mirecki et al found no difference in mutual constructive communication between first and second marriages and only marginally-higher levels of reported demand-withdraw in first marriages. However, divorce rates are about 10% higher for subsequent marriages, which also tend to end more quickly (Falke & Larson, 2007;McCarthy & Ginsberg, 2007).…”

Latina Women’s Experiences in a Stepfamily Education Course

“…It is estimated that approximately 40% of all mothers and 30% of all children will spend at least some time in a stepfamily, and these estimates are likely to be an underrepresentation (Teachman & Tedrow, 2008). Because stepfamilies face unique challenges, there has been a corresponding interest in stepfamily education (Adler-Baeder & Higginbotham, 2004;McCarthy & Ginsberg, 2007;Whitton, Nicholson, & Markman, 2008). Simultaneously, minority populations are increasing in the United States with the Latino population growing most rapidly (Fry, 2008).…”

“…Research has shown that parent/child, couple, and family relationships in stepfamilies can be more challenging than for first families (Adler-Baeder & Higginbotham, 2004;McCarthy & Ginsberg, 2007). Couples in remarriages are more likely than first marriages to divorce and couples with children from previous marriages are at an even greater risk of family dissolution (Bramlett & Mosher, 2002;Manning, 2004;Osborne, Manning, & Smock, 2007).…”