DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES IN STEPFAMILIES

这项拟议的研究将调查家庭与家庭之间的关系 过程、家庭组织和成人/儿童心理社会结果 继父家庭和未离婚的完整家庭中的变量。 再婚后五年内抽样的继父家庭将 被研究以确定家庭组织的发展变化和 流程跨越这一时间跨度。这项研究将重点放在 家庭组织和过程对社会情感、认知的影响 继父家庭和家庭中6至9岁儿童的发展 非离婚的核心家庭。我们将同时学习男孩和Firls以 确定性别差异对特定家庭关系的反应 (例如，母子、继父-继女)。 6个月(N=30)、两岁半(N=30)和5岁的继父家庭 再婚后数年(N=30)和非离婚核心家庭(N=30) 被招募参加这项研究。每组一半的家庭将 让一个6到9岁的男孩作为目标孩子；另一半将有一个 6岁至9岁的女孩作为目标儿童。一种多方法多测量设计 使用结构化访谈、自我报告和标准化测试 家庭成员和家庭互动的行为评级将是 被用作结果标准。所有数据都将在以下地点收集 这些家庭。 建议的研究有四个主要目标：(1)研究家庭的变化 在继母家庭五年期间进行处理和组织，(2) 考察继居家庭的发展和进程对 6至9岁儿童的心理社会和认知发展 研究家庭内部关系的差异(例如，丈夫和妻子， 继母家庭和非离婚核心家庭之间的父母-子女)，以及 (4)调查大家庭和准亲属的影响 关于家庭内部关系和家庭成员适应的关系。

The proposed research will investigate the relationship between family process, family organization, and adult/child psychosocial outcome variables in stepfather families and non-divorced intact families. Stepfather families sampled across a five year period after remarriage will be studied to determine developmental changes in family organization and process across this time span. The research will focus on the impact of family organization and process on the social emotional, and cognitive development of children ages six to nine in stepfather families and non-divorced nuclear families. We will study both boys and firls to detemine sex differences in response to specific familyy relationships (e.g., mother-son, stepfather-stepdaughter). Stepfamilies at six months (N=30), two and one-half years (N=30), and five years (N=30) after remarriage and non-divorced nuclear families (N=30) will be recruited for the study. One-half of the families in each group will have a boy age six to nine as a target child; the other half will have a girl age six to nine as a target child. A multimethod-multimeasure design using structured interviews, self-reports, and standardized tests from family members and behavioral ratings of family interactions will be utilized as outcome criteria. All data will be collected in the homes of the families. The proposed study has four major goals: (1) to study changes in family proces and organization across a five year period in stepfamilies, (2) to examine the impact of stepfamily development and process on the psychosocial and cognitive development in children ages six to nine, (3) to study the differences in intrafamily relationships (e.g., husband-wife, parent-child) between stepfamilies and non-divorced nuclear families, and (4) to investigate the impact of extended family and quasi-kin relationships on intrafamily relationships and adjustment of family members.