Introduction

Despite the fact that more than half of Americans are currently members of blended families, most blended family members continue to be plagued by negative stereotypes and misconceptions of this family form. Stepmothers, in particular, continue to face the myth of the 'Wicked Stepmother.' Whether it comes from centuries-old fairy tales or modern movie plots, this stereotype continues to dominate society's thinking about stepmothers. The continued perpetuation of the myth that all stepmothers are evil, wicked, greedy, or selfish has significant consequences on the stepmother's self-esteem as well as her family relationships. Additionally, the continued existence of the 'wicked stepmother' myth means that, even today, the stepmother role carries with it a particularly negative social stigma.