Latent Profiles of Residential Stepfamily Relationship Quality and Family Stability |
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Authors: | Todd M Jensen Bridget E Weller |
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Institution: | 1. Jordan Institute for Families, School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA;2. School of Social Work, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA |
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Abstract: | Stepfamilies are an increasingly common context in which adults and children reside. Past research has examined family processes that promote family resilience, such as dyadic relationships marked by warmth, positive communication, satisfaction, and closeness. What remains less clear is whether various profiles of dyadic relationship quality within stepfamilies exist and operate to influence stepfamily stability. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we conducted a latent profile analysis of mother–child, stepfather–child, and stepcouple relationship quality among a sample of 1,646 adolescents residing in married and cohabiting mother–stepfather families. Results favor a 4-profile solution, labeled high-quality, high-quality couple relationship, high-quality parent–child relationships, and low-quality. The identified latent profiles displayed differences with respect to family stability, or rates of remaining an intact family system 1 year later. |
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Keywords: | family process family stability latent profile analysis relationship quality stepfamily |
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