Adolescents, Family, and Friends: Social Support after Parents' Divorce or Remarriage

(Hardback)

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Whom do teenagers turn to when they need emotional support In this contribution to the literature on adolescent social support networks, Kandi Stinson conducts thirty in-depth interviews with adolescents and their custodial parents. She divides her interviews evenly between children living with both biological parents, with the divorced mother, and with the divorced mother and stepfather. Do the structure and effectiveness of the adolescents' social support networks vary in these three environments What are the implications of these variations for adolescent well-being Focusing on what kinds of networks most adequately meet the needs of adolescents, Stinson concludes that the relationship between adolescent and mother is crucial in determining the size and structure of support networks and that variations in the mother's marital status have a great impact on the number, kinds, and quality of support networks. Stinson's study explores the answers to three guiding questions: What do adolescent support networks look like How are these networks affected by the divorce or remarriage of parents What are the impacts of network size and structure on adolescent well-being Following a review of literature, Stinson describes the size and structural characteristics of networks. She then focuses four chapters on those particular network relationships which emerge as significant sources of support: mother-adolescent, father-adolescent, relationships with relatives, and adolescent friendships. In her final chapter Stinson applies her empirical results to her guiding questions. This study is directed at researchers and practitioners specializing in adolescent well-being, divorce, and remarriage counseling.

Reviews

. . . affords insight into the question of adolescents need for social support and the dynamics of family relations. provides good background for further research on this topic.-Professional Geographer
. . . but those interested in young adult transitions and young adult outcomes as they vary by marital structure may find it of interest. These books should push us toward family values discussions that go beyond reminiscences about a "golden age of marital bliss" that never really existed and force us to attend to the necessary development of social policy and practices that will improve family life--including after divorce.-The International History Review
." . . affords insight into the question of adolescents need for social support and the dynamics of family relations. provides good background for further research on this topic."-Professional Geographer
." . . but those interested in young adult transitions and young adult outcomes as they vary by marital structure may find it of interest. These books should push us toward family values discussions that go beyond reminiscences about a "golden age of marital bliss" that never really existed and force us to attend to the necessary development of social policy and practices that will improve family life--including after divorce."-The International History Review

Author Bio

KANDI M. STINSON is an Assistant Professor at Xavier University and has taught extensively on family and adolescence. She has written numerous articles for such professional journals as Social Forces and Teaching Sociology.