In response to recent calls in the literature for a more contextual analysis of the influence of social support processes (e.g., Rook, 1997; Sarason, Sarason, & Pierce, 1992), the current study explores the relationships of spousal support, spousal strain, and well-being among husbands and wives, both within the same day and across days. In addition, the moderating roles of interpersonal and situational contexts within which support and strain are provided are examined. One hundred and sixty-six husbands and wives in stepfamilies were interviewed and then asked to complete a structured diary twice daily for a week. Participants reported their stress, supportive and problematic spousal interactions, mood, and dyadic adjustment. A multi-level hierarchical model was used to estimate average within-person relations among the daily variables, while at the same time controlling for the influence of between-person differences in these variables. Lack of daily spousal support and the presence of spousal strain were both significantly associated with increased negative affect across the same day, although the magnitude of the effect of spousal strain was greater. However, these associations were mitigated for participants who perceived their marriages to be well-adjusted. In addition, daily stressors were directly associated with increased same day negative affect, however daily stressors did not interact with support or strain to predict distress. In contrast, the pattern of the findings for the prediction of negative affect across days was quite different. Of the daily variables, only spousal support, but not spousal strain or daily hassles, was a significant direct predictor of negative affect the next morning. Furthermore, spousal support and spousal strain were found to have a multiplicative association with negative affect the next day. Specifically, the presence of spousal strain attenuated the beneficial impact of spousal support on mood. Further, dyadic adjustment was a direct predictor of decreased negative affect the next day. The findings from this study suggest an interplay among social support, social strain, and well-being. In particular, the importance of considering differential influences over time for support and strain, as well as the moderating roles of proximal and distal relationship factors, was highlighted.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 1999. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-84). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-153).

Remarried families are no longer the exception in society. Statistics reveal that this type of family structure is increasing. The need for family resilience research in varying family forms has been highlighted. Given the distinctive structure of the remarried family, there are specific dilemmas and challenges that need to be resolved on the journey towards family integration. Despite these challenges, many families benefit from their new family structure and show marked resiliency and ability to adapt. South African family resilience research is scarce. This study aimed to identify, explore and describe the resiliency factors that enable families to adjust and adapt as a result of being a stepfamily. The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation (McCubbin, Thompson, & McCubbin, 2001) was used to conceptualize level of adaptation. Participants consisted of both adults and adolescents, in order to gain perspectives of adapting to a remarried family from differing individual family members’ stages of development. Participants consisted of 19 parents and 16 adolescents, equaling a total of 35 participants. Triangulation was employed, with an exploratory, descriptive approach. A biographical questionnaire with an open-ended question, in conjunction with a number of structured questionnaires were used to gather the data. These questionnaires were: The Family Hardiness Index (FHI), the Family Time and Routine Index (FTRI), the Social Support Index (SSI), the Family Problem-Solving Communication (FPSC) Index, the Family Crisis-Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES), the Relative and Friend Support Index (RFS), and the Family Attachment and Changeability Index 8 (FACI8). In this study the FACI8 was used as a measure to determine the level of family adaptation. Non-probability purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the biographical information. Correlation and regression analysis was used to analyze the quantitative data, and content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. The results of the quantitative component of the study indicated that there were three significant positive correlations with the FACI8 for both adults and adolescents. These variables were family hardiness (measured by the FHI), family problem solving communication (measured by the FPSC), and family time together and routines (measured by the FTRI). The Social Support subscale of the F-COPES showed a positive correlation with the FACI8 for the adults. The results of the qualitative component of the study revealed that various common themes emerged between the adult and adolescent participants’ responses. These common themes were spirituality; boundaries; respect, love, understanding, compassion and acceptance; communication; flexibility and tolerance; time together, bonding, and routines; and social support. There were four remaining themes that the adults identified as important factors helping them manage being part of a stepfamily. These four remaining themes were equality; forgiveness and acceptance of the past; commitment and being positive; and financial support. The value of the research was discussed. Finally, limitations of the study were discussed, and suggestions were made for future research involving remarried families.

In response to recent calls in the literature for a more contextual analysis of the influence of social support processes (e.g., Rook, 1997; Sarason, Sarason, & Pierce, 1992), the current study explores the relationships of spousal support, spousal strain, and well-being among husbands and wives, both within the same day and across days. In addition, the moderating roles of interpersonal and situational contexts within which support and strain are provided are examined. One hundred and sixty-six husbands and wives in stepfamilies were interviewed and then asked to complete a structured diary twice daily for a week. Participants reported their stress, supportive and problematic spousal interactions, mood, and dyadic adjustment. A multi-level hierarchical model was used to estimate average within-person relations among the daily variables, while at the same time controlling for the influence of between-person differences in these variables. Lack of daily spousal support and the presence of spousal strain were both significantly associated with increased negative affect across the same day, although the magnitude of the effect of spousal strain was greater. However, these associations were mitigated for participants who perceived their marriages to be well-adjusted. In addition, daily stressors were directly associated with increased same day negative affect, however daily stressors did not interact with support or strain to predict distress. In contrast, the pattern of the findings for the prediction of negative affect across days was quite different. Of the daily variables, only spousal support, but not spousal strain or daily hassles, was a significant direct predictor of negative affect the next morning. Furthermore, spousal support and spousal strain were found to have a multiplicative association with negative affect the next day. Specifically, the presence of spousal strain attenuated the beneficial impact of spousal support on mood. Further, dyadic adjustment was a direct predictor of decreased negative affect the next day. The findings from this study suggest an interplay among social support, social strain, and well-being. In particular, the importance of considering differential influences over time for support and strain, as well as the moderating roles of proximal and distal relationship factors, was highlighted. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

This research focuses on husbands' and wives' perceptions of parent-child relationship quality in stepfamilies. One goal was to examine the links between parents' ways of coping with family stressors and changes in parent-child relationship quality over time. A related goal was to consider the difference in relationship quality for parents' own children and parents' stepchildren. This difference was referred to as the "stepgap". It was expected that characteristics of the family, characteristics of the children, and parents' ways of coping with family stressors would all have an impact on relationship quality. It was also expected that some of these characteristics would alter the "stepgap". Multilevel analyses of family data (Snijders, 1995) were used to replicate consistent findings in the stepfamily literature and extend them by allowing for the drawing of within-family conclusions. For Time 1 relationship quality, characteristics of children and characteristics of the family were modeled on parents' perceptions of relationship quality with individual children. At both levels, the influence of these characteristics on the "stepgap" was also considered. The initial sample interviewed at Time 1 consisted of 154 couples. Of these, 142 couples also participated at Time 2. Husbands initially rated the closeness and tension they perceived in their relationships with 404 children (191 stepchildren, 213 own children). Wives rated the closeness and tension they perceived in their relationships with 407 children (204, stepchildren, 203 own children). Results provided evidence of a "stepgap" in relationship quality for both husbands and wives. However, results also indicated that relationship quality was affected by child age, amount of time spent in the family home, whether there were children from the current union, and the number of years the stepfamily had been in existence. A subsample of these families (81 couples) also provided daily diary data that were used to explore lagged daily relations between parents' reports of affection and tension with children and stepchildren, and parents' ways of coping with family stress. Three ways of coping relevant for interpersonal stressors were examined: compromise, confrontation, and interpersonal withdrawal. Results provided evidence of a direct relationship between parents' ways of coping with family stress and changes in daily relationship quality in terms of affection from children and tension with children. To link the microlevel and the macrolevel, aggregated variables describing parents' typical way of coping with family stressors across a seven-day period were used to explain changes in relationship quality two years later. Results of these analyses indicated that husbands' and wives' coping predicted change not only in the quality of their relationship with children in the stepfamily, but also affected their spouses' stepgap in relationship quality.

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Seminary, 2006. / Includes abstract and vita. "November 2006" Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-155)

This research focuses on husbands' and wives' perceptions of parent-child relationship quality in stepfamilies. One goal was to examine the links between parents' ways of coping with family stressors and changes in parent-child relationship quality over time. A related goal was to consider the difference in relationship quality for parents' own children and parents' stepchildren. This difference was referred to as the "stepgap". It was expected that characteristics of the family, characteristics of the children, and parents' ways of coping with family stressors would all have an impact on relationship quality. It was also expected that some of these characteristics would alter the "stepgap". Multilevel analyses of family data (Snijders, 1995) were used to replicate consistent findings in the stepfamily literature and extend them by allowing for the drawing of within-family conclusions. For Time 1 relationship quality, characteristics of children and characteristics of the family were modeled on parents' perceptions of relationship quality with individual children. At both levels, the influence of these characteristics on the "stepgap" was also considered. The initial sample interviewed at Time 1 consisted of 154 couples. Of these, 142 couples also participated at Time 2. Husbands initially rated the closeness and tension they perceived in their relationships with 404 children (191 stepchildren, 213 own children). Wives rated the closeness and tension they perceived in their relationships with 407 children (204, stepchildren, 203 own children). Results provided evidence of a "stepgap" in relationship quality for both husbands and wives. However, results also indicated that relationship quality was affected by child age, amount of time spent in the family home, whether there were children from the current union, and the number of years the stepfamily had been in existence. A subsample of these families (81 couples) also provided daily diary data that were used to explore lagged daily relations between parents' reports of affection and tension with children and stepchildren, and parents' ways of coping with family stress. Three ways of coping relevant for interpersonal stressors were examined: compromise, confrontation, and interpersonal withdrawal. Results provided evidence of a direct relationship between parents' ways of coping with family stress and changes in daily relationship quality in terms of affection from children and tension with children. To link the microlevel and the macrolevel, aggregated variables describing parents' typical way of coping with family stressors across a seven-day period were used to explain changes in relationship quality two years later. Results of these analyses indicated that husbands' and wives' coping predicted change not only in the quality of their relationship with children in the stepfamily, but also affected their spouses' stepgap in relationship quality. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

Stepfamilies are shown by existing research as having multiple problems unique to this type of family, some of which include role ambiguity, role strain, role captivity, increased stress and adjustment problems in children. Stepparents are portrayed as evil, abusive and wicked in the media, literature or film, while stepchildren are variously portrayed as victims, naughty and manipulative. These popular perceptions of stepfamilies appear to be shaped by myths or dominant narratives which serve to shape stepfamily member's experience of and roles in the reconstituted family. Drawing on the work of postmodernism, social constructionism and the narrative theorists this study will expose those dominant narrative or myths which shape the experience of two stepfamilies. Using an emergent design, the experiences of these two families is described in an attempt to highlight some of the implications such an approach holds for both further research and psychotherapy. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Seminary, 2006. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes project in ministry report. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-155, 97-104).