This is a qualitative study aiming to study stepparents’ view of the relationships within the stepfamily and their thoughts about what makes it work. It is based upon three stepmothers’ life stories focusing on their relationships with their stepchildren. The study is based on a symbolic interactionistic theory and explores the experiences and unique perceptions of these women in their life as stepparents. The main conclusions of this study are that it is important to begin your journey as a stepparent building a good relationship with the child, prior to acting as a co-parent. The stepmothers all describe different strategies to create a sense of common ground with the child. It is also important to feel support and mandate within oneself and from the family members to act as an important adult. Lack of support makes relationships within the stepfamily difficult. In the absence of clarity when it comes to being a stepparent, it seems that these stepmothers have created their own role, based on their ideas of "good parenting". Emotions play an important part when it comes to how relationships develop within the stepfamily.

This is a qualitative study aiming to study stepparents’ view of the relationships within the stepfamily and their thoughts about what makes it work. It is based upon three stepmothers’ life stories focusing on their relationships with their stepchildren. The study is based on a symbolic interactionistic theory and explores the experiences and unique perceptions of these women in their life as stepparents. The main conclusions of this study are that it is important to begin your journey as a stepparent building a good relationship with the child, prior to acting as a co-parent. The stepmothers all describe different strategies to create a sense of common ground with the child. It is also important to feel support and mandate within oneself and from the family members to act as an important adult. Lack of support makes relationships within the stepfamily difficult. In the absence of clarity when it comes to being a stepparent, it seems that these stepmothers have created their own role, based on their ideas of "good parenting". Emotions play an important part when it comes to how relationships develop within the stepfamily.

Studien undersöker styvföräldrars upplevelse av vilka faktorer som påverkar relationerna och samspelet i styvfamiljen. Frågeställningen är: Vilka faktorer upplever styvföräldrar påverkar relationerna i styvfamiljen? Undersökningen är en kvalitativ studie med fem intervjuer av styvföräldrar. Intervjuerna har analyserats med hjälp av en tematisk analys. Resultat: I studien framkommer tre teman; relationsbyggande, konflikter och skuldkänslor.Studien visade att om det finns en stabil grund där tid har lagts ner på att bygga upp relationerna i styvfamiljen påverkar det relationerna positivt. Styvföräldrarollen behöver klargöras speciellt när det gäller förväntningar på rollen, ansvar och vilka befogenheter styvförälderns ska ha. Vid konflikter i styvfamiljen och inom familjesystemet kan styvföräldern inta en roll som neutral medlare vilket upplevs som positivt. Då konflikt finns mellan de biologiska föräldrarna kan barnen bli budbärare mellan system vilket har en negativ påverkan på styvfamiljen. En biologisk förälders brist på engagemang kan skapa skuldkänslor hos den andre föräldern. Då en förälder är långvarigt sjuk kan barnet ta ansvar för denna förälder vilket kan påverka så att barnet får en minskad eller obefintlig kontakt med den andre föräldern. / An investigation of stepparents experiences of what factors influence the stepfamily and the relationships in stepfamilies.Research question: Which are the factors that stepparents experience influence the relationships in the stepfamily?This study uses a qualitative methodology. Five stepparents have been interviewed and the interviews have been analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Three themes appeared from the analysis; building relationships, conflicts and feelings of quilt. If the relationships in the stepfamily have been developed and been build up it influence the stepfamily in a positive way. The stepparent role needs to be clarified, especially when it comes to responsibility and powers of the stepparent. When conflicts occur in the stepfamily the stepparent can take the role of being a mediator that could be a positive factor. When there is a conflict between the biological parents the children could take different roles that influence the family in a negative way. If the biological parent is’t engaged in the children, feelings of guilt could be developed among the other parent. If a biological parent is long term sick the child can take responsibility for this parent and it can affect so that the child have less or no contact with the other parent.