Childless Stepmothers: Communicating with Other Stepmothers about Spouses and Stepchildren

Abstract

With little known about the stepmother/father household, recent efforts have been made to explore the role of the childless stepmother within the stepfamily. The purpose of the project was to examine what childless stepmothers were discussing regarding their stepfamilies. An inductive approach was utilized for 35 discussion board postings in an online support group for childless stepmothers. Findings suggest that childless stepmothers discuss issues related to their relationship with the significant other. Additionally, stepmothers stress the importance of relationships with other stepmothers in coping with their role as stepmother. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Keywords:

• Family Systems
• Stepfamily
• Stepmother

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elizabeth A. Craig

Elizabeth A. Craig (PhD, University of Oklahoma, 2008) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at North Carolina State University, Box 8104 NCSU Campus, Raleigh, NC 27695.

Jacquelyn A. Harvey-Knowles

Jacquelyn A. Harvey-Knowles (MS, North Carolina State University, 2010) is a doctoral student at the University of Washington.

Amy Janan Johnson

Amy Janan Johnson (PhD, Michigan State University, 1999) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma.