ABSTRACT
A stepfamily is created by a remarriage into which either one or both spouses bring at least one child from a previous marriage. When only one spouse brings children from a previous marriage, while the other one has never been married or was in a childless marriage, the stepfamily is defined as a simple stepfamily. In compound stepfamilies, both the husband and the wife were married at least once before the current marriage and had a child or children in that previous marriage. The number of stepfamilies is increasing, with more children affected now than ever before. Statisticians and sociologists debate the number of stepfamilies, and estimates vary greatly because in many countries there are no accurate census data on stepfamilies. Empirical studies about stepfamilies focused on newly formed families and the initial phases of the remarriage, while little comparative knowledge was accumulated on long-lasting stepfamilies.
