Whose Family Values?

Idealized in mainstream culture, the traditional nuclear family, consisting of two married parents and their biological children, has historically been held as the ideal model for shaping the collective values of the larger society. But with recent shifts in family composition, toward a more diverse familial association, what can be said of the values families practice today? Does the rise in divorce, co-habitation, same-sex unions, and out-of-wedlock childbirth indicate a 'values crisis' has taken place in America? To fully consider how values apply to family life requires both a broad and narrow scope of examination - one that views the individual family as an inter-related feature of a much larger socio-cultural landscape. This scope must accommodate a diverse perspective of family life in order to appreciate the intricately woven ties that bind families together. Additionally, one must account for the unique life challenges and stressors parents face from demands associatedwith work, family and school. Using both quantitative and qualitative research methods, this study attempts to better understand the topic of family values among a national and local sample of parents.