Where is the research about stepmothers? A scoping review

Developments in remarriage and divorce have led to an influx of research on stepfamilies. However, previous studies show that the experiences of stepmothers are underreported. Therefore, a scoping review of current available academic literature (2012-2022) on stepmother experiences was conducted to identify the way forward for future research. A sample of 11 articles indicate that stepmother research is mainly WEIRD and qualitative. Stepmothers reportedly experience ambivalent emotions which they may deal with silently, whilst navigating ambiguous stepmother roles with possibly limited support or acknowledgement under the wicked stepmother stereotype. Gaps in research and further research opportunities are identified.

再婚与离婚现象的演变推动了继亲家庭领域相关研究的大量涌现。然而既往研究表明，继母（stepmother）的经历仍存在报道不足的问题。为此，本研究针对2012-2022年间已发表的继母经历相关学术文献开展范围综述（scoping review），旨在明确未来研究的发展方向。通过纳入11篇文献作为分析样本可见，继母相关研究主要聚焦于WEIRD（西方、受过教育、工业化、富裕、民主群体，为Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic的首字母缩写）群体，且以质性研究为主。据报道，继母群体往往会体验到矛盾情绪，且可能会选择默默承受；同时，在“恶毒继母”刻板印象的桎梏下，她们需在模糊不清的继母角色定位中艰难周旋，所能获得的支持与认可也往往十分有限。本研究同时梳理了当前研究存在的空白领域，并明确了后续可拓展的研究机会。