Retrospect and Prospect in the Psychological Study of Families

This book assembles 11 of the leading thinkers and researchers in the field of family psychology to create a compendium summarizing both what psychology researchers have learned about the family and where the field should be going next. It evolved after the volume's contributors met with other distinguished family scholars to discuss family influences on child development and to ponder how this knowledge could be used to benefit families and children. This volume includes approaches to the family that feature multiple levels and topics of focal interest to benefit anyone interested in the family. Central topics include mothering, fathering, marriages, family group processes, sibling relations, and families as systems. In addition, three senior authors offer road maps to detect, and suggest (a) challenges in research on parenting, (b) marital and family dynamics, and (c) family systems in the years ahead. In keeping with the theme of how research affects the lives of families outside the university lab settings, this volume includes a chapter on the interface between family research and law. This book closes with a "big picture" analysis and critique of what is known and not known. Psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, and public policymakers interested in the family should especially find this volume of interest.

James P. McHale (Edited by) ,  Wendy S. Grolnick (Edited by)

Contents: Preface. P.A. Cowan, Foreword. Part I: Retrospect and Prospect in the Psychological Study of Parenting.W.S. Grolnick, S.T. Gurland, Mothering: Retrospect and Prospect. L.B. Silverstein, Fathers and Families. R.D. Parke, Parenting in the New Millennium: Prospects, Promises, and Pitfalls. Part II: Retrospect and Prospect in the Psychological Study of Marital and Family Group Dynamics.K.M. Flanagan, M.L. Clements, S.W. Whitton, M.J. Portney, D.W. Randall, H.J. Markman, Retrospect and Prospect in the Psychological Study of Marital and Couple Relationships. J.P. McHale, A. Lauretti, J. Talbot, C. Pouquette, Retrospect and Prospect in the Psychological Study of Coparenting and Family Group Process. M.J. Cox, K.S.M. Harter, The Road Ahead for Research on Marital and Family Dynamics. Part III: Retrospect and Prospect in the Psychological Study of Families as Systems.D.M. Teti, Retrospect and Prospect in the Psychological Study of Sibling Relationships. K. Kreppner, Retrospect and Prospect in the Psychological Study of Families as Systems. P. Minuchin, Looking Toward the Horizon: Present and Future in the Study of Family Systems. Part IV: Taking Stock.S.T. Azar, Family Research and the Law: Can Family Research Help Solomon? Contributions and Challenges. M. Rutter, Family Influences on Behavior and Development: Challenges for the Future.