This timely reference takes a rigorous look at the myriad ways technology, from smartphones to dating apps to social media, is affecting family life and opening new areas for study. The book features cross-disciplinary perspectives on current trends in the role of technology in couple and family contexts. It focuses on the roles of parents in monitoring children's screen time, of technology in relationship formation, and of technology in changing family dynamics. Nuanced coverage considers the emerging conflicts and paradoxes associated with digital family life-closeness versus isolation, children versus parents as experts, and privacy versus surveillance. Contributors also identify new research opportunities as family roles and structures continue to evolve and technology becomes a greater lens for family studies. Among the topics covered: How parents manage young children's mobile media use Adolescents as the family technology innovators Online dating: changing intimacy one swipe at a time Technology in relational systems: roles, rules, and boundaries Television "effects" on international family change Interplay between families and technology: future investigations Families and Technology is a valuable resource for researchers and students in the fields of family studies, sociology, marriage and family therapy, social welfare, public health, and psychology. The book also appeals to policymakers and human services personnel dedicated to better understanding the impact of rapidly spreading technologies on families around the globe.

This timely reference takes a rigorous look at the myriad ways technology, from smartphones to dating apps to social media, is affecting family life and opening new areas for study. The book features cross-disciplinary perspectives on current trends in the role of technology in couple and family contexts. It focuses on the roles of parents in monitoring children's screen time, of technology in relationship formation, and of technology in changing family dynamics. Nuanced coverage considers the emerging conflicts and paradoxes associated with digital family life-closeness versus isolation, children versus parents as experts, and privacy versus surveillance. Contributors also identify new research opportunities as family roles and structures continue to evolve and technology becomes a greater lens for family studies. Among the topics covered: How parents manage young children's mobile media use Adolescents as the family technology innovators Online dating: changing intimacy one swipe at a time Technology in relational systems: roles, rules, and boundaries Television "effects" on international family change Interplay between families and technology: future investigations Families and Technology is a valuable resource for researchers and students in the fields of family studies, sociology, marriage and family therapy, social welfare, public health, and psychology. The book also appeals to policymakers and human services personnel dedicated to better understanding the impact of rapidly spreading technologies on families around the globe.

The widening gap between the rich and the poor is turning the American dream into an impossibility for many, particularly children and families. And as the children of low-income families grow to adulthood, they have less access to opportunities and resources than their higher-income peers--and increasing odds of repeating the experiences of their parents. Families in an Era of Increasing Inequality probes the complex relations between social inequality and child development and examines possibilities for disrupting these ongoing patterns. Experts across the social sciences track trends in marriage, divorce, employment, and family structure across socioeconomic strata in the U.S. and other developed countries. These family data give readers a deeper understanding of how social class shapes children's paths to adulthood and how those paths continue to diverge over time and into future generations. In addition, contributors critique current policies and programs that have been created to reduce disparities and offer suggestions for more effective alternatives. Among the topics covered: Inequality begins at home: the role of parenting in the diverging destinies of rich and poor children. Inequality begins outside the home: putting parental educational investments into context. How class and family structure impact the transition to adulthood. Dealing with the consequences of changes in family composition. Dynamic models of poverty-related adversity and child outcomes. The diverging destinies of children and what it means for children's lives. As new initiatives are sought to improve the lives of families and children in the short and long term, Families in an Era of Increasing Inequality is a key resource for researchers and practitioners in family studies, social work, health, education, sociology, demography, and psychology.

This provocative volume is comprised of psychological, socioeconomic, and cultural perspectives on couple dynamics, particularly gender dynamics, and the future of marriage. Featuring data on married, cohabitating, male/female, and same-sex couples, the authors of the book's chapters analyze the changing impacts of work, parenting, and the health benefits of marriage for men and women. Trajectories in the evolution toward gender equality provide the backdrop for discussions of women and men as partners, parents, and workers in contemporary society. Contributors also keep a sharp focus on the complexities of gender issues as they intersect with crucial contexts of cohort, class, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Among the topics covered: Gender equality and economic inequality: impacts on marriage. Expansionist theory expanded: integrating sociological and psychological perspectives on gender, work, and family change. Gender, work, and family: action in the interactions. Changes in U.S. mothers' and fathers' time use: causes and consequences. A case for gay fathers. Gender, marriage, and health for same-sex and different-sex couples Gender and Couple Relationships documents social roles and social change with fascinating insight to advance research in fields of psychology, sociology, demography and economics and to the benefit of work organizations, policy makers, family and couple therapists and other mental health professionals.

This provocative volume is comprised of psychological, socioeconomic, and cultural perspectives on couple dynamics, particularly gender dynamics, and the future of marriage. Featuring data on married, cohabitating, male/female, and same-sex couples, the authors of the book's chapters analyze the changing impacts of work, parenting, and the health benefits of marriage for men and women. Trajectories in the evolution toward gender equality provide the backdrop for discussions of women and men as partners, parents, and workers in contemporary society. Contributors also keep a sharp focus on the complexities of gender issues as they intersect with crucial contexts of cohort, class, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Among the topics covered: Gender equality and economic inequality: impacts on marriage. Expansionist theory expanded: integrating sociological and psychological perspectives on gender, work, and family change. Gender, work, and family: action in the interactions. Changes in U.S. mothers' and fathers' time use: causes and consequences. A case for gay fathers. Gender, marriage, and health for same-sex and different-sex couples Gender and Couple Relationships documents social roles and social change with fascinating insight to advance research in fields of psychology, sociology, demography and economics and to the benefit of work organizations, policy makers, family and couple therapists and other mental health professionals.

The widening gap between the rich and the poor is turning the American dream into an impossibility for many, particularly children and families. And as the children of low-income families grow to adulthood, they have less access to opportunities and resources than their higher-income peers--and increasing odds of repeating the experiences of their parents. Families in an Era of Increasing Inequality probes the complex relations between social inequality and child development and examines possibilities for disrupting these ongoing patterns. Experts across the social sciences track trends in marriage, divorce, employment, and family structure across socioeconomic strata in the U.S. and other developed countries. These family data give readers a deeper understanding of how social class shapes children's paths to adulthood and how those paths continue to diverge over time and into future generations. In addition, contributors critique current policies and programs that have been created to reduce disparities and offer suggestions for more effective alternatives. Among the topics covered: Inequality begins at home: the role of parenting in the diverging destinies of rich and poor children. Inequality begins outside the home: putting parental educational investments into context. How class and family structure impact the transition to adulthood. Dealing with the consequences of changes in family composition. Dynamic models of poverty-related adversity and child outcomes. The diverging destinies of children and what it means for children's lives. As new initiatives are sought to improve the lives of families and children in the short and long term, Families in an Era of Increasing Inequality is a key resource for researchers and practitioners in family studies, social work, health, education, sociology, demography, and psychology.