Ask Dr. Jackie

According to the Stepfamily Association of America (SAA), "by the year 2010 stepfamilies are projected be the predominant family form in the U.S."

According to the 2001 General Social Survey, Canada had 503,100 step families in 2001. This represents almost 12% of all Canadian couples with children in 2001, compared to 10% in 1995.

The Stepfamily Association of South Australia reports that stepfamilies are in fact the fastest growing family group in Australia. It has been estimated that one in every four families in Australia is a stepfamily.

The stepfamily experience is common across Europe (19 countries) and becoming more so as younger generations experience higher rates of union dissolution and repartnering during childbearing years (Prskawitz et al, 2003).

According to the BBC.co.uk more than 1 in 10 families in the UK are now stepfamilies. NetDoctor.co.uk reports that 18 million people (total pop. estimated to be approx 60 M) in the UK are part of a stepfamily in some way.

Let's look at a few current US stats:

• About 75% of divorced people eventually remarry.
• About 43% of all marriages are remarriages for at least one of the adults.
• About 65% of remarriages involve children from the prior marriage and form stepfamilies.
• About 2/3rds of all women, and 37% of all children, are likely to spend some time in a stepfamily, using the more liberal definition that includes cohabiting adult couples.