ABSTRACT
Parenting issues were raised and comparisons made between stepfamilies and intact families. If the remarriage has already taken place when couples appear, they are usually fighting with each other, and one is accusing the spouse of being totally responsible for the havoc in the stepfamily. In stepfamilies where intrapsychic factors as well as situation factors are very important, much therapeutic help is required to alleviate the tension. Couples with a strong commitment to each other who wish to understand the problem areas and learn ways to reduce the tensions gain a great deal from the premarital therapeutic contacts. The inability to tolerate and work out the inevitable stresses suggests that living with the frictions will be extremely painful if not impossible for couples. Frequently couples coming into such groups have participated in a workshop or a discussion course prior to the ongoing group.
