Experiences of Remarried Familes

Abstract

This paper summarizes the experiences of 232 remarried couples, based on lengthy separate and simultaneous interviews with both couple members, and similiar interviews with a comparison sample of 102 first married couples. Areas covered include relationships with children of various parentages (his, hers and theirs) effects of parent (step) child relationships on the spousal relationship, relationships with former mates, economic circumstances, sources of emotional support, marital adjustment and the advice that remarried respondents offer to people considering remarriage. While a number of difficulties generally unique to remarried couples are no lower than those of first married couples, perhaps because of the contrast with problems divorced parents experienced before they remarried. The marital adjustment of couples in families in which the father had custody of his prior marriage children was significantly lower than in other remarried families.