Longitudinal Effect of Perceived Family Support on Marital Adjustment Moderated by Stepfamily Type

This study examines longitudinal effects between marital adjustment (MA) and perceived family support (PFS), considering the moderating role of stepfamily type (simple vs. complex). Although higher PFS levels are linked to better MA, forming a new relationship may change support perceptions. It remains unclear whether PFS predicts or follows MA over time, whether the association is bidirectional, and whether stepfamily type moderates this link. 130 participants were included (64 simple stepfamilies, 66 complex). PFS and MA were measured at baseline ( T 0 ) and 6 months later ( T 1 ). The final model presented a good fit to the data χ 2 (2) = 6.97, χ 2 /df = 3.49, p = .031; CFI = .98; TLI = .86; RMSEA = .14 and revealed longitudinal and moderating effects: high PFS predicted greater subsequent MA only among adults in complex stepfamilies. These results highlight the importance of differentiating simple and complex stepfamily dynamics in remarried couples.