ABSTRACT
The joining of families through remarriage is a complex process, particularly when children are involved. Remarriage is a significant developmental transition involving the entire family structure and organization. Family members are often ill prepared for the challenges of remarriage; witness the higher divorce rate (over 60 percent) in second marriages and the statistic that second marriages with children present are twice as likely to end in divorce as remarriages without children (McGoldrick and Carter, 1988). There are many changes for family members to accommodate to, such as different living arrangements, rules, and styles of communication. A host of ambivalent feelings, role changes, marital adjustments, and challenging new tasks must be faced (Einstein and Albert, 1986). Adjustment may be impeded by unrealistic expectations and myths about stepfamily life (Visher and Visher, 1982, 1987). The presence of children in and out of the household and complex relationships with ex-spouses, siblings, and grandparents create a far more dynamically changing environment.
