One of the most highly-researched and controversial areas of family studies is that of divorce and relationship dissolution.  This situation is especially important where child well-being is concerned.  A fabulous new issue of our scholarly journal, Family Relations, has a special issue on this topic for December 2011. I'd like to make NCFR members aware of it in case they don't receive this journal and to invite non-NCFR members to join and get online access to it right away.  It contains some of the most compelling readings available on The 'Good' Divorce, Stepfamilies, Same-Sex Couples, Cohabitation, and a final section on Shifting Definitions of Family.

The authors are scholars with "who's who" familiarity in the field. The table of contents is here: 

• Reconsidering the "Good Divorce" By Paul R. Amato, Jennifer B. Kane and Spencer James
• Commentary on "Reconsidering the 'Good Divorce'" by Paul Amato et al., By Jan Pryor
• Commentary on "Reconsidering the 'Good Divorce'" By Constance R. Ahrons
• Parenting Stress, Perceived Child Regard, and Depressive Symptoms Among Stepmothers and Biological Mothers By Danielle N. Shapiro and Abigail J. Stewart
• The Processes Distinguishing Stable from Unstable Stepfamily Couples: A Qualitative Analysis  By  Marie-Christine Saint-Jacques, Caroline Robitaille, Élisabeth Godbout, Claudine Parent, Sylvie Drapeau and Marie-Helene Gagne
• Same-Sex Relationships and Dissolution: The Connection Between Heteronormativity and Homonormativity  By Brad Van Eeden-Moorefield, Christopher R. Martell, Mark Williams and Marilyn Preston
• Family Characteristics, Custody Arrangements, and Adolescent Psychological Well-being after Lesbian Mothers Break Up By Nanette Gartrell, Henny Bos, Heidi Peyser, Amalia Deck and Carla Rodas
• Relationship-Specific Investments, Family Chaos, and Cohabitation Dissolution Following a Nonmarital Birth By Claire M. Kamp Dush
• The Specter of Divorce: Views From Working- and Middle-Class Cohabitors  By Amanda J. Miller, Sharon Sassler and Dela Kusi-Appouh
• Nonmarital Unions, Family Definitions, and Custody Decision Making By Mellisa Holtzman
• Bound by Children: Intermittent Cohabitation and Living Together Apart By Caitlin Cross-Barnet, Andrew Cherlin and Linda Burton
• Understanding the Disproportionately Low Marriage Rate Among African Americans: An Amalgam of Sociological and Psychological Constraints By Anthony L. Chambers and Aliza Kravitz

I'd love to give a comprehensive overview of the entire issue, but that is too much for a blog.  But allow me to quote from the introduction of this special issue written by guest editor, Marilyn Coleman:

What is clear from recent surveys is that how people ''do'' family in the United States has changed dramatically, which is followed by changing opinions about these ''new families.'' We know very little, however, about what happens when the adults in these new families break up. Even in the relatively simple case of legal divorce (if divorce could ever be considered simple), there is tremendous disagreement regarding dissolution outcomes, at least for children. This can be seen in the article by [Paul] Amato and colleagues in this issue as well as in the replies by [Jan] Pryor, who mostly agrees with Amato, and [Constance] Ahrons, who mostly does not agree with him.

This type of point-counterpoint is something that NCFR members love, as measured by surveys results we receive from the membership. The rest of the collection steps away from the familiar territory and into diverse types of family formations for which norms-and laws-are breaking new ground. The legal structures for same-sex parents as well stepfamilies makes relationship dissolution an ambiguous road for parents, partners and children. Interpersonally, the boundary ambiguities in the family are many. Much more research is needed on these families.

NCFR members-this issue of Family Relations is a must-read. Not an NCFR member? Or would you like to upgrade your membership to include Family Relations?  Visit our membership page at: http://www.ncfr.org/membership .