There are many factors that impact the way people view stepfamilies. Stepfamily success is dependent on establishing roles and responsibilities that work within the new family. The expected roles of a nuclear family do not apply to stepparents. There is a need for clear, concrete roles for each person within the blended family; however these do not exist based on social or legal norms. / Given that the United States has the highest remarriage rate in the world, the stepfamily structure merits the attention of clinicians. The therapeutic techniques from a traditional family do not work on stepfamilies. Focusing on the developmental cycles of the members of a stepfamily teach the members how to problem solve while getting their needs met, thus resulting in a successful family unit.
