What to expect when you’re blended: personal and perceived relational expectation alignment predict role clarity and well-being among stepparents

Stepparents are a common presence in American families; however, stepparents’ roles are poorly defined by society and unclear to stepparents themselves. Emerging research demonstrates that stepparents’ experiences of role-clarity are important in predicting their well-being. The current research expanded on these findings. In a sample of 184 stepparents, we examined the role of expectation alignment in predicting role clarity and well-being across two assessments, spaced one year apart. We considered personal alignment of expectations for stepparenthood with actual experience, as well as perceived relational alignment between own expectations and stepparents’ perceptions of their partners’ and stepchildrens’ expectations for stepparenthood. Findings replicated effects of past research demonstrating that stepparenthood role clarity predicts well-being outcomes. Findings expanded past work to demonstrate that expectation alignment, both personal and perceived relational, was associated with both role clarity and well-being over time. Role clarity mediated the connection between expectation alignment and well-being outcomes for stepparents.