The Systematic Review Study of Evolving Landscape of Domestic Relations: Psychological and Social Outcomes of Single-Parent and Blended Units

Abstract

Recent domestic relations research demonstrates a dramatic movement and evolution between family forms. While nuclear and blended family and single-parent households remain prevalent, more diverse and complex arrangements such as communal living and cohabitation are on the rise. Following a twenty-study literature review and qualitative secondary data research on the datasets created on the sociology of family structures, this review aims to describe the social and emotional consequences of this phenomenon for the families in question. Restructured families can suffer from emotional distress due to decreased parental commitment and longer and more complex child adjustment periods. Blended and single-parent families try to cope with financial difficulties and emotional distress, triggering work role and emotional integration antagonism. Nevertheless, the families in question in this review do exhibit model and distress-appropriate psychosocial resilience. The presence and level of flexibility concerning social integration and the circulation of structural and normative resources modify the emotional consequences of family changes. Cohesion and emotional stability with family and social relations are linked with mental and emotional problems of distress. The review aims to highlight the problems families living in these provisions experience, and the probable issues this presents concerning relations and social provisions.

Introduction

Modern societal changes—urbanization, evolving social norms, and the rise of single-parent and blended families—affect children’s development, though family functioning and relationships are more influential than structure alone. Children in single-parent families may experience stress, anxiety, or depression due to parental conflict, financial strain, or absence of a parent, but they can also develop resilience, responsibility, and independence. Blended families offer exposure to diverse perspectives and stability but may cause sibling rivalry, loyalty conflicts, and adjustment challenges with stepparents.

Research consistently shows that family structure and stability impact children’s cognitive, emotional, and social outcomes. Divorce or parental separation often disrupts social life, with varied effects: some children adapt well, while others face long-term challenges. Economic conditions, parental stress, transitions in family structure, and post-transition support play crucial roles in children’s well-being. Studies also indicate that children in single-parent or non-traditional families face higher stress, mental health challenges, and behavioral issues, though supportive relationships, resilience, and positive coping strategies can mitigate negative outcomes.

Blended family dynamics and nonresidential parenthood influence adolescent adjustment, highlighting the importance of relational quality, parental involvement, and social support. Genetic, environmental, and socio-economic factors further interact with family context to shape social development, educational outcomes, and psychological well-being. Overall, stable, supportive family relationships—whether in single-parent, two-parent, or blended families—are critical for children’s mental health, social competence, and resilience.

The objective of the reviewed research is to understand how single-parent and blended family structures affect psychological, social, and educational outcomes, emphasizing the need for interventions, parental support, and policies that strengthen child development and well-being in changing family contexts.

Conclusion

This analysis demonstrates how change and dissolution of a family are not merely disruptive phenomena but rather complicated, unfolding processes, which are shaped by psychosocial, economic, and biological influences. Over several decades, from Amato’s initial divorce-stress-adjustment model to the current biopsychosocial models, the most salient contextual mediators shaping the effects of divorce and family transitions on individual well-being include parental discord, emotional regulation, and the psychosocial and socioeconomic support available to the family. Enhanced chronic stress and emotional strain are likely to accompany structural alterations to a family unit, but maladaptive behavior and recovery are most likely to be driven by the resilience, psychological shifts, and adaptive functions of the individuals and family as a whole. New cross-national and biological research suggests that family structural instability extends to the inner workings of the family, relating to and undermining stress relationships, and the psychosocial impact of family dysfunction is profound. Unresolved tensions in domestic relations further emphasize culture and gender relations. Under-structuring of the family is less important in linking family disruption with adverse mental health and intergenerational consequences than economic deprivation, dysfunction, and instability. More recent works suggest numerous strategic recommendations. First, addressing the impacts of social and economic safety nets on chronic stress related to instability is an important aspect of policy recommendations. Second, the family-centered approach should attend to strengthening parent-child relational dynamics, emotional regulation, and psychological support through transitions. Third, the education system, through community-oriented approaches, ought to implement social and resilience skills programming to help children adjust to the reconstruction of families. Fourth, the need to obtain an interdisciplinary perspective on the research continuum persists, particularly by coupling the genetic, biological, and social aspects to better detail family transitions.

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Prof.(Dr.) Subhasish Chatterjee. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.