Caroline Sanner
Biographic Data
| ID | 130626 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Caroline Sanner |
| GIVEN NAMES | Caroline |
| FAMILY NAME | Sanner |
| SIGNATURE | SANNER C |
| AFFILIATIONS | Virginia Tech |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-4888-1487 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 29 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 61 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 29 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2017 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Indian Wives of Incarcerated Men Tell Their Own Stories: An Intersectional Narrative Analysis of Disenfranchisement and Resilience
Objective Guided by intersectional feminism and symbolic interactionism, the purpose of this study was to document the untold stories of women with incarcerated spouses in India. Background When a family member is incarcerated, the task of emotionally and financially supporting the family often falls upon women, who are likely to be underresourced and overwhelmed. Women whose husbands are incarcerated in India are likely to possess multiple margi…
Are We Willing to Change? A Feminist Agenda for the Study of Men in Families
Public concern over the increasingly visible crisis of hegemonic masculinity is growing. Young men are showing a rise in antifeminist rhetoric, worsening mental health, and a loneliness epidemic. Although it is tempting, and not without merit, to frame men's struggles as male fragility and aggrieved entitlement resulting from feeling unseated by a changing social order, these interpretations also work to deepen social divisions and institutionali…
Post‐Divorce LGBTQ ‐Parent Families: Navigating Loyalty Conflicts and Stepfamily Closeting
Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate underexplored dynamics of post‐divorce LGBTQ‐parent families. Background In LGBTQ‐parent families in which children were conceived in the context of a prior different‐gender partnership, children experience the coinciding events of parental separation and a parent's coming out as LGBTQ. In recent decades, research on LGBTQ‐parent families formed following different‐gender divorce has stalled,…
“Mom, I'm Polyamorous”: Parental Reactions to Polyamory Identity Disclosures
Objective Guided by communication privacy management theory, the current study explored whether and how people who are nonmonogamous disclose their nonmonogamy to their parents, as well as parental reactions to identity disclosures. Background Consensual nonmonogamy (CNM) refers to the practice of openly negotiating and engaging in romantic, emotional, or sexual connections with multiple partners concurrently, with the consent of all partners inv…
Reflexive voices: Revealing the person behind the science
The author declares no conflicts of interest. Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study
A grounded theory of unlearning monogamy: Polyamory and the deconstruction of dominant relational scripts
Practitioners of non-monogamy are queering relationships by challenging the dominant relational script of monogamy. Despite the prevalence and queering potential of non-monogamy, there is limited research that focuses on the ways in which non-monogamous individuals navigate their identities in a world built on heteronormative logics. Guided by symbolic interactionism, the purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine the intrapersonal proc…
Feeling wronged versus pressing on: Unearthing the tensions of Appalachian fatherhood
ObjectiveThis study explores the lived experiences of fathers who live and parent in Appalachia, a region and identity that is often stereotyped and marginalized.BackgroundThough research on fathering and fatherhood has grown significantly over the past several decades, a persistent emphasis involves father involvement and its relationship to child outcomes. Far fewer studies have explored the intrapersonal processes of fatherhood, such as what i…
What Works in Stepfamilies: Creating and Maintaining Satisfying and Effective Relationships
This book uses a strengths-based approach and resilience perspective to offer guidance on what works in creating effective stepfamily relationships, sharing findings and empirically supported best practices for stepfamily members and the family professionals that work with them. Drawing from over 2,500 studies, Ganong, Coleman, and Sanner present a comprehensive overview of research on what works to create positive and satisfying stepfamily relat…
Cherished families, unspoken truths: Navigating hidden and challenging family experiences while growing up with LGBTQ parents
Objective This study aims to advance understanding of hidden, complex, and resilient family experiences as perceived by adult children from LGBTQ‐parent families. Background Difficult and taboo family topics (e.g., mental illness, substance abuse, violence, infidelity, poverty) are rarely examined, particularly among LGBTQ‐parent families, in part reflecting researcher and family concerns about stigmatization or misrepresentation. Unique, complex…
Emerging Voices: Amplifying the perspectives of students and new professionals
Reimagining stagnant perspectives of family structure: Advancing a critical theoretical research agenda
Many Americans believe that a breakdown in the “traditional” two‐married‐parent family and the rise in single‐parent families are responsible for persistent family inequality. The general argument is that children do best when they are raised by both biological parents. Evidence increasingly calls into question conventional wisdom about the universal benefits of the two‐parent family, yet mainstream approaches to studying family structure continu…
Chinese childbearing decision‐making in mainland China in the post‐one‐child‐policy era
In 2016, China enacted its two‐child policy, further lifted to a three‐child policy in 2021, in response to low birth rates and imbalanced sex ratios resulting from the almost 40‐year one‐child policy. Despite this, China's birthrate is at a historic low as fewer parents are having children. Now more than ever, inductive explorations are needed to understand what motivates Chinese parents to have first and second children in the post‐one‐child po…
Studying stepfamilies, surfacing secrets: A reflection on the private motivations behind efforts to humanize family complexity
Feminist family scholars have long called for greater transparency of the partial perspectives embedded within family science. In this paper, I employ feminist reflexive autoethnography to unpack the private motivations that guide my research on family complexity. Using critical storytelling, I trace the personal developments that led to a research program on structurally complex families—families shaped and reshaped by divorce, separations, repa…
Summary and synthesis of research on what works in stepfamily childrearing
Effective parenting in stepfamilies: Empirical evidence of what works
Childrearing in stepfamilies: Empirical answers about “what works”
Effective stepparenting: Empirical evidence of what works
Effective coparenting in stepfamilies: Empirical evidence of what works
“Stop going in my room”: A grounded theory study of conflict among stepsiblings
Patterns of Stepsibling Relationship Development
In this grounded theory study, we examined the processes through which 25 young adult stepchildren developed relationships with 71 stepsiblings. We also examined the interpersonal and familial contexts within which stepsibling relationships were formed. We identified six distinct types of stepsibling connections: (a) strangers, (b) distant acquaintances, (c) rivals, (d) ambivalent friends or frenemies, (e) friends, and (f) siblings. These relatio…
Relationship form and function: Exploring meaning‐making in young adults' romantic histories
Forming stable, supportive romantic relationships is an important determinant of well‐being for adults. Yet, there has been limited research about if and how prior romantic experiences help individuals develop the capacity to enter into such unions. Using grounded theory methods, relationship history interviews were conducted with 35 young adults who provided data about 256 romantic and sexual relationships. The different relationship forms (e.g.…
A scoping review of research on well‐being across diverse family structures: Rethinking approaches for understanding contemporary families
In the United States and across the globe, demographic trends have coalesced to produce an increasingly diverse set of family structures, fueling international interest in exploring diverse family structures as key developmental contexts for adults and children. Given the persistence of research focused on well‐being differences across family structures, and in order to move this research into the future productively, it is critical to rigorously…
Toward More Accurate Measures of Family Structure: Accounting for Sibling Complexity
In this article, we argue that accounting for sibling complexity is a necessary step toward more accurate assessments of family structure. First, we argue that current conceptualizations of family structure are rooted in (and reinforce) Eurocentric definitions of family, and we highlight contradictions between family theory and measurements of family structure. Second, we discuss the prevalence of diverse sibling compositions in families and show…
Families Are Socially Constructed: Pragmatic Implications for Researchers
Scholars have long recognized that the boundaries of family membership and definitions of family relationships are socially constructed. The social construction of family membership, and the accompanying ambiguity surrounding family language and labels, particularly in complex families who have experienced divorce, remarriage, and other structural transitions, creates obstacles for recruiting study participants and for collecting, analyzing, and …
Shared Children in Stepfamilies: Experiences Living in a Hybrid Family Structure
ObjectiveTo explore the lived experiences of shared children in stepfamilies (i.e., those born into a repartnered family who live with married parents and older half-siblings).BackgroundShared children have been found to fare worse than other sibling groups on a variety of outcomes (e.g., educational outcomes, antisocial behavior, depressive symptoms). Little is known, however, about the lived experiences of these individuals.MethodUsing descript…
Half‐Sibling and Stepsibling Relationships: A Systematic Integrative Review
Increases in divorce, remarriage, and stepfamily formation have added complexity to sibling composition. Biological siblings have been found to be key players in children's lives, and relationships with half and stepsiblings also likely influence individual development and adjustment. In this systematic integrative review, we synthesize and critique 46 studies on half and stepsibling relationships, a literature that has seen marked growth in rece…
Reimagining stagnant perspectives of family structure: Advancing a critical theoretical research agenda
Many Americans believe that a breakdown in the “traditional” two‐married‐parent family and the rise in single‐parent families are responsible for persistent family inequality. The general argument is that children do best when they are raised by both biological parents. Evidence increasingly calls into question conventional wisdom about the universal benefits of the two‐parent family, yet mainstream approaches to studying family structure continu…
(Re)constructing Family Images: Stepmotherhood Before Biological Motherhood
Strong cultural values and ideals attached to women in families deem the role of stepmother as inferior to that of biological mother. Although biological motherhood is celebrated, stepmotherhood is stigmatized, and women who wish to become mothers but become stepmothers prior to having biological children may grieve the loss of images surrounding normative ideals of creating a family. Using a feminist family science approach, the purpose of this …
Toward More Accurate Measures of Family Structure: Accounting for Sibling Complexity
In this article, we argue that accounting for sibling complexity is a necessary step toward more accurate assessments of family structure. First, we argue that current conceptualizations of family structure are rooted in (and reinforce) Eurocentric definitions of family, and we highlight contradictions between family theory and measurements of family structure. Second, we discuss the prevalence of diverse sibling compositions in families and show…
Families Are Socially Constructed: Pragmatic Implications for Researchers
Scholars have long recognized that the boundaries of family membership and definitions of family relationships are socially constructed. The social construction of family membership, and the accompanying ambiguity surrounding family language and labels, particularly in complex families who have experienced divorce, remarriage, and other structural transitions, creates obstacles for recruiting study participants and for collecting, analyzing, and …
A comparison of stepgrandchildren's perceptions of long-term and later-life stepgrandparents
Patterns of Stepsibling Relationship Development
In this grounded theory study, we examined the processes through which 25 young adult stepchildren developed relationships with 71 stepsiblings. We also examined the interpersonal and familial contexts within which stepsibling relationships were formed. We identified six distinct types of stepsibling connections: (a) strangers, (b) distant acquaintances, (c) rivals, (d) ambivalent friends or frenemies, (e) friends, and (f) siblings. These relatio…
Studying stepfamilies, surfacing secrets: A reflection on the private motivations behind efforts to humanize family complexity
Feminist family scholars have long called for greater transparency of the partial perspectives embedded within family science. In this paper, I employ feminist reflexive autoethnography to unpack the private motivations that guide my research on family complexity. Using critical storytelling, I trace the personal developments that led to a research program on structurally complex families—families shaped and reshaped by divorce, separations, repa…
Responsibility inferences and judgments about helping older parents and stepparents
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of responsibility inferences on judgments about helping older parents and stepparents with activities of daily living, health management, and recovery in the aftermath of an illness or injury. Using Weiner's theory of responsibility inferences as a guiding framework, we evaluated (1) the amount of intergenerational aid adult (step)children should provide, (2) the extent to which adult (step)chi…
A grounded theory of unlearning monogamy: Polyamory and the deconstruction of dominant relational scripts
Practitioners of non-monogamy are queering relationships by challenging the dominant relational script of monogamy. Despite the prevalence and queering potential of non-monogamy, there is limited research that focuses on the ways in which non-monogamous individuals navigate their identities in a world built on heteronormative logics. Guided by symbolic interactionism, the purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine the intrapersonal proc…
(Re)constructing Family Images: Stepmotherhood Before Biological Motherhood
Strong cultural values and ideals attached to women in families deem the role of stepmother as inferior to that of biological mother. Although biological motherhood is celebrated, stepmotherhood is stigmatized, and women who wish to become mothers but become stepmothers prior to having biological children may grieve the loss of images surrounding normative ideals of creating a family. Using a feminist family science approach, the purpose of this …
Half‐Sibling and Stepsibling Relationships: A Systematic Integrative Review
Increases in divorce, remarriage, and stepfamily formation have added complexity to sibling composition. Biological siblings have been found to be key players in children's lives, and relationships with half and stepsiblings also likely influence individual development and adjustment. In this systematic integrative review, we synthesize and critique 46 studies on half and stepsibling relationships, a literature that has seen marked growth in rece…
A comparison of stepgrandchildren's perceptions of long-term and later-life stepgrandparents
Responsibility inferences and judgments about helping older parents and stepparents
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of responsibility inferences on judgments about helping older parents and stepparents with activities of daily living, health management, and recovery in the aftermath of an illness or injury. Using Weiner's theory of responsibility inferences as a guiding framework, we evaluated (1) the amount of intergenerational aid adult (step)children should provide, (2) the extent to which adult (step)chi…
Shared Children in Stepfamilies: Experiences Living in a Hybrid Family Structure
ObjectiveTo explore the lived experiences of shared children in stepfamilies (i.e., those born into a repartnered family who live with married parents and older half-siblings).BackgroundShared children have been found to fare worse than other sibling groups on a variety of outcomes (e.g., educational outcomes, antisocial behavior, depressive symptoms). Little is known, however, about the lived experiences of these individuals.MethodUsing descript…
Relationship form and function: Exploring meaning‐making in young adults' romantic histories
Forming stable, supportive romantic relationships is an important determinant of well‐being for adults. Yet, there has been limited research about if and how prior romantic experiences help individuals develop the capacity to enter into such unions. Using grounded theory methods, relationship history interviews were conducted with 35 young adults who provided data about 256 romantic and sexual relationships. The different relationship forms (e.g.…
A scoping review of research on well‐being across diverse family structures: Rethinking approaches for understanding contemporary families
In the United States and across the globe, demographic trends have coalesced to produce an increasingly diverse set of family structures, fueling international interest in exploring diverse family structures as key developmental contexts for adults and children. Given the persistence of research focused on well‐being differences across family structures, and in order to move this research into the future productively, it is critical to rigorously…
Toward More Accurate Measures of Family Structure: Accounting for Sibling Complexity
In this article, we argue that accounting for sibling complexity is a necessary step toward more accurate assessments of family structure. First, we argue that current conceptualizations of family structure are rooted in (and reinforce) Eurocentric definitions of family, and we highlight contradictions between family theory and measurements of family structure. Second, we discuss the prevalence of diverse sibling compositions in families and show…
Families Are Socially Constructed: Pragmatic Implications for Researchers
Scholars have long recognized that the boundaries of family membership and definitions of family relationships are socially constructed. The social construction of family membership, and the accompanying ambiguity surrounding family language and labels, particularly in complex families who have experienced divorce, remarriage, and other structural transitions, creates obstacles for recruiting study participants and for collecting, analyzing, and …
Summary and synthesis of research on what works in stepfamily childrearing
Effective parenting in stepfamilies: Empirical evidence of what works
Childrearing in stepfamilies: Empirical answers about “what works”
Effective stepparenting: Empirical evidence of what works
Effective coparenting in stepfamilies: Empirical evidence of what works
“Stop going in my room”: A grounded theory study of conflict among stepsiblings
Patterns of Stepsibling Relationship Development
In this grounded theory study, we examined the processes through which 25 young adult stepchildren developed relationships with 71 stepsiblings. We also examined the interpersonal and familial contexts within which stepsibling relationships were formed. We identified six distinct types of stepsibling connections: (a) strangers, (b) distant acquaintances, (c) rivals, (d) ambivalent friends or frenemies, (e) friends, and (f) siblings. These relatio…
Chinese childbearing decision‐making in mainland China in the post‐one‐child‐policy era
In 2016, China enacted its two‐child policy, further lifted to a three‐child policy in 2021, in response to low birth rates and imbalanced sex ratios resulting from the almost 40‐year one‐child policy. Despite this, China's birthrate is at a historic low as fewer parents are having children. Now more than ever, inductive explorations are needed to understand what motivates Chinese parents to have first and second children in the post‐one‐child po…
Studying stepfamilies, surfacing secrets: A reflection on the private motivations behind efforts to humanize family complexity
Feminist family scholars have long called for greater transparency of the partial perspectives embedded within family science. In this paper, I employ feminist reflexive autoethnography to unpack the private motivations that guide my research on family complexity. Using critical storytelling, I trace the personal developments that led to a research program on structurally complex families—families shaped and reshaped by divorce, separations, repa…
What Works in Stepfamilies: Creating and Maintaining Satisfying and Effective Relationships
This book uses a strengths-based approach and resilience perspective to offer guidance on what works in creating effective stepfamily relationships, sharing findings and empirically supported best practices for stepfamily members and the family professionals that work with them. Drawing from over 2,500 studies, Ganong, Coleman, and Sanner present a comprehensive overview of research on what works to create positive and satisfying stepfamily relat…
Cherished families, unspoken truths: Navigating hidden and challenging family experiences while growing up with LGBTQ parents
Objective This study aims to advance understanding of hidden, complex, and resilient family experiences as perceived by adult children from LGBTQ‐parent families. Background Difficult and taboo family topics (e.g., mental illness, substance abuse, violence, infidelity, poverty) are rarely examined, particularly among LGBTQ‐parent families, in part reflecting researcher and family concerns about stigmatization or misrepresentation. Unique, complex…
Emerging Voices: Amplifying the perspectives of students and new professionals
Reimagining stagnant perspectives of family structure: Advancing a critical theoretical research agenda
Many Americans believe that a breakdown in the “traditional” two‐married‐parent family and the rise in single‐parent families are responsible for persistent family inequality. The general argument is that children do best when they are raised by both biological parents. Evidence increasingly calls into question conventional wisdom about the universal benefits of the two‐parent family, yet mainstream approaches to studying family structure continu…
“Mom, I'm Polyamorous”: Parental Reactions to Polyamory Identity Disclosures
Objective Guided by communication privacy management theory, the current study explored whether and how people who are nonmonogamous disclose their nonmonogamy to their parents, as well as parental reactions to identity disclosures. Background Consensual nonmonogamy (CNM) refers to the practice of openly negotiating and engaging in romantic, emotional, or sexual connections with multiple partners concurrently, with the consent of all partners inv…
Reflexive voices: Revealing the person behind the science
The author declares no conflicts of interest. Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study
A grounded theory of unlearning monogamy: Polyamory and the deconstruction of dominant relational scripts
Practitioners of non-monogamy are queering relationships by challenging the dominant relational script of monogamy. Despite the prevalence and queering potential of non-monogamy, there is limited research that focuses on the ways in which non-monogamous individuals navigate their identities in a world built on heteronormative logics. Guided by symbolic interactionism, the purpose of this grounded theory study was to examine the intrapersonal proc…
Psychology (25 works) · Family Dynamics and Relationships (20 works) · Sociology (20 works) · Developmental psychology (18 works) · Social Psychology (18 works) · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving (17 works) · Stepfamily (12 works) · Social Psychology (8 works) · Family Support in Illness (7 works) · Social science (6 works)