The purpose of this study was to develop a grounded theory of perceived obligations in older stepfamilies. Ten older remarried adults with at least one adult stepchild and 10 adult stepchildren were interviewed about their beliefs about what adult stepchildren should do for stepparents. Grounded theory methods were used to analyze data from interview transcripts. Stepchildren and stepparents agreed that stepchildren have few obligations to assist stepparents. The key in deciding whether a responsibility to assist existed was how the relationship was defined. Other considerations were whether the stepparent had helped raise the stepchild, relationship quality, evaluation of the remarriage (for stepchildren only), unresolved conflicts (stepparents only), and whether the stepparent had helped the stepchild as an adult (stepparents only). Physical realities (proximity, contact) and norms (filial, reciprocity, helping) were contexts within which judgments about helping were made.
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