Skip to main content
Log in

The binuclear family

Two households, one family

  • Published:
Alternative Lifestyles Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A new family form,the binuclear family, is emerging with the rise in divorce rates. To aid in its institutionalization and in lifting from it the stigma of social deviance, some new terminology was coined and a study of the dynamics of continuing postdivorce parenting relationships conducted. Reported here are findings on the reorganization of familial homes with court-awarded joint custody. It was found that most of the former spouses in the sample continued to relate after divorce, forming two separate households joined together by a coparental bond.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AHRONS, C. (forthcoming) “Joint custody arrangements in the postdivorce family.” J. of Divorce.

  • —— (1979a) “The coparental divorce: preliminary research findings and policy implications,” in Joint Custody: A Handbook for Judges, Lawyers and Counselors. Portland, OR: Association of Family Conciliation Courts.

    Google Scholar 

  • -- (1979b) “Redefining the divorced family: a conceptual framework for postdivorce family system reorganization.” University of Wisconsin—Madison. (unpublished)

  • BANE, M. (1976) “Marital disruption and the lives of children.” J. of Social Issues 32: 103–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • BOHANNAN, P. [ed.] (1971) Divorce and After. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • CLINE, D. and J. WESTMAN (1971) “The impact of divorce on the family.” Child Psychiatry and Human Development 2 (2): 78–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • COHEN, S. (1977) Personal communication, July 2.

  • GOETTING, A. (1978) “The normative integration of the former spouse relationship.” Presented at the American Sociological Association, San Francisco, September.

  • GOODE, W. J. (1956) After Divorce. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • HETHERINGTON, E. M., M. COX, and R. COX (1976) “Divorced fathers.” Family Coordinator 25: 417–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • JACOBSON, D. S. (1978) “The impact of marital separation/divorce on children: II. Interparent hostility and child adjustment.” J. of Divorce 2: 3–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • KELLY, J. and J. WALLERSTEIN (1977) “Part-time parent, part-time child: visiting after divorce.” J. of Clinical Child Psychology 6 (2): 51–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • LOWENSTEIN, J. and E. KOOPMAN (1978) “A comparison of the self-esteem between boys living with single-parent mothers and single-parent fathers.” J. of Divorce 2: 195–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • NORTON, A. J. and P. C. GLICK (1976) “Marital instability, past, present and future.” J. of Social Issues 32: 5–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • ROMAN, M. and W. HADDAD (1978) The Disposable Parent. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • ROSEN, R. (1977) “Children of divorce: what they feel about access and other aspects of the divorce experience.” J. of Clinical Child Psychology 6 (2): 24–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • WALLERSTEIN, J. S. (1977) “Responses of the preschool child to divorce: those who cope,” in M. F. McMillan and S. Henao (eds.) Child Psychiatry: Treatment and Research. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— and J. B. KELLY (1977) “Divorce counseling: a community service for families in the midst of divorce.” Amer. J. of Orthopsychiatry 47: 4–22.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Author's Note: This research was supported in part by grants from the Graduate School of the University of Wisconsin—Madison. I wish to thank Drs. Morton Perlmutter and Allen Pincus for their valuable comments on an earlier draft of this article. Also acknowledged is Dr. Jean Goldsmith for her contributions to the research design.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ahrons, C.R. The binuclear family. J Fam Econ Iss 2, 499–515 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01082682

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01082682

Keywords

Navigation