This book offers a novel analysis of communication in stepfather-stepson relationships and is one of the first to examine the ways stepfathers communicate and to integrate the perspectives of adolescents into research on stepfamily communication. In order to understand the complex dynamics of stepfamilies, Jonathan Pettigrew presents six case studies of different families. They are written as engaging narratives - including interviews - that offer flavorful accounts of family members and their relationships with each other. Pettigrew then looks across cases to identify, describe, and examine patterns of stepfather support. This book builds upon current understandings of stepfamily life by providing a descriptive and heuristic model of supportive stepfather-stepson communication, making it valuable for those who study and work with families.

Jonathan Pettigrew (PhD, The Pennsylvania State University) is Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Tennessee. His work has appeared in the Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, Journal of Adolescent Research, and Marriage & Family Review, among others.

Contents: Stepfamilies, Stepfathers, and Communicating Support - Meet the Families - Patterns of Communicating Support - Lessons Learned.