y between some parent and child, or the inability of a child to accept a stepparent. Children and adults may still be grieving when remarriage takes place or the grieving may be reactivated at that time (Burt, p. 13).
Five other factors characterizing step-families follow: 1) the parent/child relationship has a longer history than the new couple's relationship; 2) the biological parent (ex-spouse) is in another place; 3) children are members of two households; stepparents may be asked to assume a parental role before emotional ties with the stepchild have been established; and there is no legal relationship between stepparents and stepchildren (Burt, 1989, pp. 13-16).
According to Kerr & Bowen (1988), family systems theory views the family as a unit, a network of interlocking relationships. when the family changes, as in divorce and remarriage, the dynamics of the unit shift and may result in stress on various members.
Bowen views the family as an interdependent emotional unit in which family members function in reciprocal relationship to one another. In his
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