Zastrow and Kirst-Ashman's Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment looks at lifespan through the lens of social work theory and practice, covering human development and behavior theories within the context of family, organizational, and community systems. Using a chronological lifespan approach, the book presents separate chapters on biological, psychological, and social impacts at the different lifespan stages with an emphasis on strengths and empowerment.

The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society brings together all elements of the course--including intimate relationships, family policy, and family issues. It strikes just the right balance between an academic and more functional approach. The book draws from research in sociology, family studies, and related fields, and its sound sociological and family studies base is enhanced by other perspectives from anthropology, history, psychology, journalism, literature, economics, and gender studies. The book presents a positive, multicultural approach to today's relationships as it explores recent research on topics such as adoptive parenting, childbearing patterns, gay and lesbian families, the meaning of virginity, communication and conflict resolution, the influence of popular culture, the rights and benefits of marriage, and working families. The real-life examples, balanced presentation, and focus on self-assessment and reflection make the book especially accessible and encourage students to think and act for themselves. The Tenth Edition's progressive approach to diversity remains rooted in a positive, pro-family perspective.

An introductory text, Marriages and Families accentuates the positive aspects of relationships and focuses on enriching students' knowledge and experience in building strong, successful couple and family relationships. The authors, seasoned family scholars and therapists, integrate research, theory, and practical applications with an interdisciplinary perspective on marriage and family.

This text combines a positive and practical approach to the study of marriage and family life. It is based on extensive and up-to-date research as reported in the journals and monographs. It shows how sociological theories apply to the various topics. Thus, it not only provides students with a basic understanding of marriage and family life, but also helps them apply this knowledge to enrich their lives and nurture their own intimate relationships.