ABSTRACT
Sometimes, research focused on describing a problem, a characteristic in an individual, or a family type has as much relevance for psychotherapists as does research on psychotherapy. Remarriage families have many special features that must be recognized and responded to in effective practice with these families. This chapter centers on research that has contributed significantly to the understanding of remarriage families. It shows with explained samples that remarriage does not tend to change the involvement of the noncustodial parent or hinder the relationship between that parent and the children. The fear that a parent will be replaced is a relatively rare phenomenon. Nor does having a strong bond with the nonresidential parent hinder the development of stepparent–child relationships. In contrast, the remarriage of noncustodial parents tends to result in a marked reduction in their involvement with their children.
