Includes bibliographical references and index
pt. 1. Marriage and the family in perspective -- 1. The changing family -- 2. Studying marriage and the family -- 3. The family in historical perspective -- pt. 2. The individual and the developing relationship -- 4. Gender roles and socialization -- 5. Love and loving relationships -- 6. Sexuality and sexual expression throughout life -- pt. 3. Individual and marital commitments -- 7. Choosing others: dating and mate selection -- 8. Singlehood, cohabitation, and other options -- 9. Marriage and communication in intimate relationships -- pt. 4. Parents and children -- 10. To be or not to be a parent: more choices, more constraints -- 11. Raising children -- 12. Racial and ethnic families: strengths and stresses -- pt. 5. Conflicts and crises -- 13. Families and work: facing the economic squeeze -- 14. Family violence and other crisis-related issues -- 15. Separation and divorce -- pt. 6. Changes and transitions -- 16. Remarriage and stepfamilies: life after divorce -- 17. Aging and family life: grandparents, the widowed, and caregivers -- 18. The family in the twenty-first century -- Appendix A: Sexual anatomy -- Appendix B: Sexual problems, dysfunctions, and treatment -- Appendix C: Conception, pregnancy, and childbirth -- Appendix E: AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases -- Appendix F: Premarital and nonmarital agreements