Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Retrospect And Prospect In The Psychological Study Of Families., James P. Mchale, Wendy S. Grolnick

Faculty Books

Provides an overview of family group dynamics. First, the authors draw on the work of the anthropologist S. Harrell to describe 4 basic family system formations. The authors then consider more specifically family groups in the US and the roots of American psychologists' current belief system about "optimal" family functioning. Next, the authors spotlight recent research on coparenting and family group process in the nuclear family group and discuss studies linking these dynamics to important indicators of young children's development and adaptation. The authors emphasize the need to extend this fledging knowledge base on how coparental and family group processes …