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• 1. [Article] Forging new paths : life course transitions for American women and their families

  Families of remarriage constitute a growing number of American families. The spiraling divorce rate of the 1970s was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the number of remarriages. Forty percent of ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Forging new paths : life course transitions for American women and their families Author: Schmiege, Cynthia J. Families of remarriage constitute a growing number of American families. The spiraling divorce rate of the 1970s was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the number of remarriages. Forty percent of American families today contain at least one spouse that has been previously married, thus studying relationships within families of remarriage is crucial to understanding the experiences of both children and adults in American families. This study uses a life-span perspective to examine the qualitative accounts of 62 women 43 of whom divorced, spent some time as a single parent of at least one child, and remarried and 19 of whom had divorced and did not remarry. Some of those women also had a remarriage end in divorce. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques were used to both explore relationships within families of remarriage, and differences between those women that remarried and those who remained single parents. Quantitative analyses revealed that women who did not remarry were better educated and had more conflict with their former spouse over time. Women who were younger when they became a single parent for the first time, had more children, had jobs rather than careers, and had less education reported more marriages overall. Qualitative analyses showed that particular problem areas in families of remarriage centered around the adjustment period between the children and the new partner, finances, and communication. Remarriages that failed were characterized by problematic relationships between children and their mother's partner. As this was predominantly a white, middle-class sample, generalizations to other populations should be made with caution. Directions for future research are discussed. Title: Forging new paths : life course transitions for American women and their families Author: Schmiege, Cynthia J. Families of remarriage constitute a growing number of American families. The spiraling divorce rate of the 1970s was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the number of remarriages. Forty percent of American families today contain at least one spouse that has been previously married, thus studying relationships within families of remarriage is crucial to understanding the experiences of both children and adults in American families. This study uses a life-span perspective to examine the qualitative accounts of 62 women 43 of whom divorced, spent some time as a single parent of at least one child, and remarried and 19 of whom had divorced and did not remarry. Some of those women also had a remarriage end in divorce. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques were used to both explore relationships within families of remarriage, and differences between those women that remarried and those who remained single parents. Quantitative analyses revealed that women who did not remarry were better educated and had more conflict with their former spouse over time. Women who were younger when they became a single parent for the first time, had more children, had jobs rather than careers, and had less education reported more marriages overall. Qualitative analyses showed that particular problem areas in families of remarriage centered around the adjustment period between the children and the new partner, finances, and communication. Remarriages that failed were characterized by problematic relationships between children and their mother's partner. As this was predominantly a white, middle-class sample, generalizations to other populations should be made with caution. Directions for future research are discussed. Close