Family-Centered Practice with Stepfamilies

The stepfamily is one of the fastest growing family forms, and family-centered practitioners can expect to have such families in their case loads. Differences between stepfamilies and biologically based families need to be understood by practitioners, because work with these families requires different approaches. The author notes these differences as well as the usefulness and problematic aspects of the systemic and behavioral approaches traditionally used by family-centered practitioners in work with stepfamilies. An integrated model for working with stepfamilies, developed by the author, is presented. This model integrates postmodern approaches into eco-systemic and behavioral work.