Relationship in Stepfamilies: An Examination of Alliances

Stepfamily relationships described in terms of “alliances” between family members are examined through comparison of the family lives of stepfamilies with those of nonstepfamilies. The definition of stepfamily is broadened to include stepfamilies formed by the first marriage of an unmarried mother and by cohabitation. Data are extracted from a study of the sequelae to illegitimate childbearing which investigated the ensuing family lives of matched samples of legitimate and illegitimate childbearers. Three types of alliances- neutral, offensive and defensive—are identified and their incidence and variation across stepfamilies and nonstepfamilies are documented. The findings suggest that the sample families do not display in their relationships the negative features of stepfamily life identified in existing works and that alliances which impair family unity do not differentiate stepfamilies from nonstepfamilies.