Stepfamily Education: A Case Study

Skogrand, Linda; Davis, Patricia C.; Higginbotham, Brian J.

doi:10.1007/s10591-011-9141-y

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Examples of questions in the approved interview schedule included the following: “Are there issues that have come up in your stepfamily since the course that you wish you had learned about?” and “Are there things that you used from the course that worked well for a period of time, but were difficult to maintain? What were the obstacles in maintaining the changes?” Findings, not related to finances, from these interviews have been previously reported (Skogrand, Dansie, Higginbotham, Davis, & Barrios-Bell, 2011; Skogrand, Davis, & Higginbotham, 2011). This study focuses exclusively on the responses given to the question: “Are there things you have done differently because of what you learned about finances in this course?…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 57%

Stepfamily Education and Changes in Financial Practices

Higginbotham

Tulane

Skogrand

2012

Journal of Family Issues

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This study examined the financial management practices of 62 participants in Smart Steps stepfamily education courses 1 year following their course completion. Qualitative interviews revealed 29 participants changed their financial practices as a result of the course, 29 did not change, and 4 provided unclear responses. Common reasons for no change included having functional practices that predated the relationship education course or financial difficulties remaining, despite course participation. Common reasons for change included working together as a couple and implementing budget or saving practices. Latino participants were more likely to report change than were European Americans. Findings and implications highlight both the opportunities and challenges associated with teaching financial education as part of a relationship education program.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 57%

Stepfamily Education and Changes in Financial Practices

Higginbotham

Tulane

Skogrand

2012

Journal of Family Issues

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“…Research continually suggests that stepfamilies are more complex and at higher risk for dissolution than first families (Adler‐Baeder, Robertson, & Schramm, ,b; Higginbotham & Adler‐Baeder, ; Skogrand, Davis, & Higginbotham, ; Sweeney, ). Unlike most first families, relationship development within stepfamilies does not occur in sequence.…”

Section: Educational Programs For Stepcouplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This means that the couple relationship is initiated and established at the same time that relationships with children and relationships between siblings are being forged, and relationships with former partners are navigated (Ganong & Coleman, ; Higginbotham & Adler‐Baeder, ). Given these and other differences (e.g., varying levels of biological relatedness among family members, lack of norms regarding roles and rules), there is a growing understanding among practitioners and researchers that the challenges faced by stepfamily couples (“stepcouples”) are distinct from those faced by couples in first marriages, and therefore programs targeting stepfamilies should be specialized to address these unique needs (Adler‐Baeder & Higginbotham, ; Adler‐Baeder, Robertson, et al., ; Skogrand, Davis, et al., ; Whitton, Nicholson, & Markman, ).…”

Section: Educational Programs For Stepcouplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship Education for Stepcouples Reporting Relationship Instability—Evaluation of the Smart Steps: Embrace the Journey Curriculum

Lucier‐Greer¹,

Adler‐Baeder

Harcourt

et al. 2014

J Marital Family Therapy

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Smart Steps: Embrace the Journey is a research-based educational curriculum for stepfamily couples ("stepcouples"). The curriculum is designed to build couple strengths while addressing the unique challenges of repartnering with a child or children from a previous relationship. This study evaluated the effectiveness of this curriculum with 151 individuals in relationally less stable stepcouple relationships who either engaged in the Smart Steps curriculum (n = 97) or were part of the comparison group (n = 54). This study represents methodological and conceptual advances in the study of stepfamily programs with the use of a comparison group, a racially and economically diverse sample, and a relationally at-risk population. Results indicated that those who participated in Smart Steps reported significant increases in individual empowerment, couple quality, family harmony, and parenting efficacy while these measures were unchanged for those who did not receive the program. Implications for future research and for practitioners are provided.

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“…Clinicians should thus pay attention to this structural complexity and take into account the parenting and coparenting experience of the stepparent, as well as the experience of the other family members (Blyaert, Van Parys, De Mol, & Buysse, 2016;Cartwright, 2005;Miran-Khan, 2017). The value of such a therapeutic strategy is attested to by the fact that educational programs that are intended to improve coparenting agreement between parents and stepparents have proven to be successful, especially by improving communication between partners regarding the education of the children (Garneau & Adler-Baeder, 2015;Skogrand, Davis, & Higginbotham, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…between partners regarding the education of the children (Garneau & Adler-Baeder, 2015;Skogrand, Davis, & Higginbotham, 2011).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mother‐Stepfather Coparenting in Stepfamilies as Predictor of Child Adjustment

2018

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Coparenting between biological parents is a strong predictor of child adjustment. To date, however, little is known about the coparenting dynamics between parent and stepparent in stepfamilies. This study aimed at exploring the links between coparenting in the mother-stepfather dyad and child behavior in stepfamilies compared with the links between mother-father coparenting and child behavior in first-marriage families. Two modes of coparenting were assessed: overt coparenting, that is, coparental behaviors in the presence of the child, and covert coparenting, that is, the way each parent speaks of the other parent to the child. The sample (N = 80) comprised 48 stepfamilies and 32 first-marriage families with a child between 7 and 13 years old. Overt coparenting was assessed through direct observation in the standardized situation of the PicNic Game. Covert coparenting and child behavior were assessed through mother-reported questionnaires. Results showed (a) more covert coparenting behaviors in first-marriage families, (b) no differences in overt coparenting, (c) more child difficulties reported in stepfamilies, (d) less optimal overt coparenting being linked with more difficulties in children in both family structures, and (e) an interaction effect between family structure and coparenting, showing that overt coparenting is linked with child behavior mainly in stepfamilies.

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Stepfamily Education: A Case Study

Cited by 6 publications

References 18 publications

Stepfamily Education and Changes in Financial Practices

Stepfamily Education and Changes in Financial Practices

Relationship Education for Stepcouples Reporting Relationship Instability—Evaluation of the Smart Steps: Embrace the Journey Curriculum

Mother‐Stepfather Coparenting in Stepfamilies as Predictor of Child Adjustment

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