Marilyn Ihinger-Tallman

Developing a Middle-Range Theory of Father Involvement Postdivorce

The problem addressed in the article is why so many fathers remove themselves from their childrens lives after divorce. The authors develop a theory that offers a partial explanation of this phenomena based on the potential for change in the salience of a mans identity as a father postdivorce. Propositions are developed and hypotheses are derived from symbolic interaction and identity theory. The authors define and interrelate the concepts of identity, saliency, commitment, and significant others to explain father presence or absence postdivorce across time. The theory further isolates a number of variables that are expected to moderate (strengthen or weaken) the relationship between father parenting-role identity and father involvement. Identifying modifiers enables the authors to stipulate why some fathers are more involved with their children following separation by explaining the conditions under which father identity becomes translated into a patterned set of behaviors.

Sibling Interaction and Morale The Effects of Family Relations on Older People

Previous research has found no relationship between the morale of the elderly and frequency of interaction with children. This is often explained in terms of cohort differences in attitudes, values, and interests between parents and children. This study examines the relationship between morale and interaction with siblings among the elderly and finds no relationship. The indicated conclusion is that, at least in terms of interaction frequency, relations with kin do not affect the morale of the elderly. Furthermore, age differences are not relevant to the explanation of this fact.

Boundary Ambiguity in Remarriage: Does Ambiguity Differentiate Degree of Marital Adjustment and Interaction?.

Boundary ambiguity is believed to be more problematic for remarriage families than first-marriage families and as such has been the topic of discussion in the clinical literature. Yet, few empirical studies have focused on boundary ambiguity and even fewer have examined this construct in remarriage. This study examines differences between 216 spouses in remarriages classified as having low or high boundary ambiguity. High boundary ambiguity is more prevalent in certain types of remarriages (stepmother families with nonresidential children). Too, differences between groups are determined for a series of variables measuring marital adjustment and integration. Few significant differences are found when wives are compared with wives and husbands with husbands in remarriages characterized by low and high ambiguity. Several explanations are offered for these findings and recommendations for future research and clinical practice are provided.

The Subjective Well-Being of Parents

Using a national sample of Americans, this study compares the effects of marital and parental statuses on three domains of well-being (marital quality, parental satisfaction, and global life satisfaction) by examining three types of parents: first-married biological parents, remarried biological parents, and stepparents. The results of a multiple classification analysis show that first-married biological parents report greater satisfaction with parenting than do the other two groups. On the other hand, the three types of parents reported similar levels of marital and global life satisfaction. These results are discussed and suggestions for future research are made.

Consensus Styles among Happy and Unhappy Remarried Couples

Differences in consensus styles among happy and unhappy remarried couples were examined. On 16 of the 19 topics happy and unhappy remarrieds differed significantly in their perceptions of frequency of agreement or disagreement. Happy remarried couples more often shared the same perceptions regarding the frequency of agreement, whereas unhappy remarried couples either shared similar perceptions regarding the frequency of disagreement or held dissimilar perceptions on the frequency of agreement or disagreement.

Remarriage and Stepparenting: Current Research and Theory

Since the mid-1970s, the texture of modern society has been changed dramatically by the increasing presence of the stepfamily. No longer considered the exception to the norm, the stepfamily has been thrust into the mainstream by a 50% divorce rate combined with a high incidence of remarriage. According to some estimates, 35% of children born in the 1980s will experience stepfamily living by the time they reach the age of 18. Although interest in remarriage and stepfamily relationships is growing, the literature often takes the form of popular work or anecdotal accounts with minimal data.This volume provides a much-needed overview of current research and theory in the field. It stems from a series of meetings sponsored by the Society for Research in Child Development and funded by the Foundation for Child Development. The nine scholars who participated in the year-long study group, along with two others prominent in the field, have produced a work which explores the intricacies of remarriage and stepfamily living from a variety of perspectives. How do divorce and remarriage determine parents adjustment and parent-child relationships? How are the boundaries set within this new family form? What are the dynamics between biological and step parents, both within the newly-created nuclear family and within the linked family units--those tied together for life by their common children?This comprehensive volume sheds new light on these issues and more, including the relatively untouched area of stepsibling relationships. It incorporates findings from five recent research studies, providing data not available elsewhere. The contributors also examine the stepfamily within historical, social, and cultural contexts--from changing demographics to stepfamily stereotypes. They cast a critical eye on current literature in the field and on research methodologies, providing insights on the changing nature of the stepfamily, and developing conceptual frameworks for further research.With so much important, up-to-date scholarship under one cover, REMARRIAGE AND STEPPARENTING TODAY is a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians in the areas of sociology, psychology, psychiatry, and social work, as well as for advanced students pursuing any of these disciplines.