Clinical Perspectives on Stepfamily Dynamics

Abstract

In Chapter 1 we referred to the historical impact of clinical writers on the development of the study of stepfamilies. Before researchers expressed much interest in stepfamilies, clinicians had written prodigiously about stepfamily relationships and the dynamics of stepfamilies (e.g., Crohn et al., 1981; Goldstein, 1974; Visher & Visher, 1979). The influence of clinicians is not just historical, however; they continue to significantly contribute to existing knowledge about stepfamilies. We define clinician broadly to include any helping professional who works with stepfamilies in applied settings (e.g., family life educators, family therapists, social workers, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists).