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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

stepfamily, Stepfamily Experiment Project, STEP, biological family

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Family Life

Abstract

The Stepfamily Experience Project (STEP) is a data set made up of approximately 1,500 emerging adults (aged 18-29) that was collected in 2013. STEP was motivated by a research literature which argues that stepfamilies are worse off than two-biological parent families (sometimes called biologically-intact families). While, on average, this may be true, STEP researchers thought that this research ignored what makes a successful stepfamily. This is unfortunate, because stepfamilies are of immense worth which can positively impact men, women, and children. As a result, we collected data, with the support of BYU and generous donors, to find out exactly what makes a good stepfamily experience and what kind of parenting behaviors and family environment helps contributes to happy, well-adjusted stepchildren. This data is very unique in family research—large, diverse, and representative, ultimately providing us with some of the best insights into stepfamily life to date.

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