Deck 18: Remarriage and Step-Parenting

Question 1

At what stage of the remarriage process does the couple's marital relationship generally assume a central position in the family system?

A) courtship and preparation
B) early marriage
C) middle remarriage
D) later remarriage

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What term best describes the stepparent's experience when the new remarried family system follows the rules and strategies originally established in the biological family of the spouse and his or her children?

A) impenetrable barrier
B) biological force field
C) bystander
D) outcast

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The term is used to refer to a family form where both biological and non- biological parents are present.

A) remarried
B) stepfamily
C) early remarriage
D) middle remarriage

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The research on remarried families concludes that one of the most frequently reported problems is

A) tension between ex-partners
B) jealousy within the new marital system
C) tension between stepparents and stepchildren
D) tension between former and new in-laws

Question 5

This stage of the remarriage process is marked by a sense of shared intimacy and characterized by flexibility in roles and interactional patterns.

A) courtship and preparation
B) early marriage
C) middle remarriage
D) late remarriage

Question 6

Families that successfully progress through the stage of forming of remarried family system will gradually begin to develop common expectations and a shared sense of family identity.

A) courtship and preparation
B) early remarriage
C) middle remarriage
D) later remarriage

Question 7

The term refers to a remarried family system that includes the households of both biological parents perhaps other stepparents, siblings, and stepsiblings), biological relatives perhaps grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) and steprelatives perhaps grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins).

A) boundary ambiguity
B) structural complexity
C) metafamily system
D) systemic diversity

Question 8

The term refers to the fact that one or both spouses have been married previously.

A) remarried
B) stepfamily
C) blended family
D) all of the above

Question 9

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A) All remarried families are fundamentally alike in terms of their structure.
B) Younger children are more likely than older children to eventually accept a stepparent as a parent.
C) Husbands and wives with widely varied life cycle experiences have an easier times managing the transition to the remarried family
D) all of the above

Question 10

All of the following statements are true EXCEPT

A) Approximately half of all marriages are remarriages for at least one partner.
B) Thirty percent of divorcees will remarry within one year of their divorce.
C) Remarriages tend to be more stable than first marriages.
D) One-third of all children are expected to live in a remarried family for some period of time.

Question 11

During the stage of the process of remarriage the family system typically remains divided primarily along biological lines.

A) early remarriage
B) middle remarriage
C) later remarriage
D) all of the above

Question 12

During the stage of forming a remarried family system the structure of the family, particularly its boundaries, gradually undergoes change.

A) courtship and preparation
B) early remarriage
C) middle remarriage
D) later remarriage

Question 13

In what way do stepfamilies differ structurally from nuclear families?

A) Stepfamilies have members who have experienced important losses.
B) Within stepfamilies a biological parent often exists elsewhere.
C) Within stepfamilies, parent-child bonds predate the married couple's relationship.
D) all of the above

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT an example of a myth that interferes with adjustment within remarried and stepfamilies?

A) The remarriage results in the reconstitution of the nuclear family.
B) Parents and stepchildren will instantly love one another.
C) All stepmothers act in rejecting ways towards their non-biological children.
D) All of the above are examples of remarriage myths.

Question 15

Remarried families cannot operate like a nuclear family with a clearly defined around the immediate family unit.

A) metafamily
B) structure
C) set of family tasks
D) boundary

Question 16

The lack of norms and institutional supports for stepfamilies is referred to as:

A) A metafamily system
B) An incomplete institution
C) Boundary ambiguity
D) Role ambiguity

Question 17

The tendency among men is to

A) remarry a younger woman
B) remarry an older woman
C) remarry a woman at the same age
D) remain single following divorce

Question 18

During courtship, the transition to a stepfamily system can be greatly facilitated if

A) partners work to resolve their feelings towards their ex-spouse
B) the single-parent household structure is gradually modified
C) the couple anticipates many of the personal and family issues that will accompany the transition
D) all of the above

Question 19

When compared to maternal grandparents, research has indicated that paternal grandparents regular or frequent contact with their grandchildren following divorce and remarriage.

A) maintain
B) lose
C) increase
D) must file for legal visitation to ensure

Question 20

The term refers to that stage in the process of remarriage that provides time to resolve issues related to the earlier divorce of one or both partners and a gradual introduction of the new stepparent into the present single-parent system.

A) courtship and preparation
B) early remarriage
C) middle remarriage
D) late marriage

Question 21

Many of the triangles that develop within a remarried family system can be resolved by

A) the stepmother taking control of the children
B) the stepfather withdrawing from interactions with children
C) the stepmother withdrawing from interactions with children
D) the biological parent assuming parental authority

Question 22

Which of the following statement is TRUE?

A) Patterns of effective functioning in stepfamilies are similar to those found in nuclear families.
B) Well-functioning stepfamilies are less likely to have coalitions than are well-functioning nuclear families.
C) Poorly functioning stepfamilies are dominated by the presence extensive and intense coalitions
D) All of the above

Question 23

Research that has compared remarried families with nuclear families has found that remarried families generally report levels of well-being and marital satisfaction compared to nuclear families.

A) higher
B) lower
C) similar
D) highly varied and inconsistent

Question 24

When former spouses have not succeeded in reaching an emotional divorce,

A) triangles involving them and a new marital partner are likely
B) their biological children are seldom affected
C) their stepchildren are seldom affected
D) the former spouses are likely to form a coalition against either the new spouse or one of the stepchildren.

Question 25

Triangles with parents or in-laws are especially likely when

A) they disapprove of the remarriage
B) when they have had an active role in raising their grandchildren
C) when grandparents remain loyal to their child's ex-spouse
D) all of the above