Smooth Sailing or Stormy Waters?: Family Transitions Through Adolescence and Their Implications for Practice and Policy

Smooth Sailingenhances our understanding of the family's transition through adolescence by examining qualitative data about the experiences of parents and teens across multiple relationships and social contexts. This volume follows the same60families described in the authors' first book,Becoming a Family,and now, six years later, relates their storiesabout their transition from childhood to adolescence. Collectively, the two books provide a unique longitudinal perspective on family development using two distinct data collection formats and time frames. Interdisciplinary in nature, the bookdraws on theory and practice from the fields of social work, psychology, and sociology. Smooth Sailingreveals a picture of the transition to adolescence as it is influenced by intrafamily relationships as well as social context factors. Initial chapters lay the foundation for the study's methods. Proceeding chapters present the participants' stories, organized by context developmental changes, interpersonal relationships, education, and work. Each chapter follows a similar format: an overview of past research; interview and coding techniques; and a presentation of parents' and teens' qualitative descriptions. Chapters also include an analysis of gender and conclude with implications for practice and policy. The final chapter in the book summarizes this work and looks ahead to the next developmental period, emerging adulthood. Intended for researchers in a variety of disciplines such as social work, psychology, and sociology, this volume also serves as a supplementary text for courses on the family and/or adolescent development.

Rena Harold is Professor and Associate Director of the School of Social Work at Michigan State University, where she also coordinates the MSW and Doctoral Programs. Having received her Ph.B., and MSW degrees from Wayne State University, she received her Ph.D. in Social Work and Psychology from The University of Michigan. She is a Licensed Clinical and Macro Social Worker in the State of Michigan where she has worked in practice and research on issues of child and adolescent development in the context of the family and the school. Her scholarship interests also include issues of family life development in both traditional and non-traditional families. She has received grant funding for her research interests from NICHD and NSF, is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal on Social Work Education, and the Council on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression of the Council on Social Work Education, as well as GADE (the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education) and the Society for Social Work Research. 
Lisa Colarossi is an Associate Professor at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service. She received her MSW, M.A. (Developmental Psychology), and Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary Program in Social Work and Psychology) from The University of Michigan, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of New York. She has worked as a clinician and advocate in the areas of dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking as well as adolescent mental health. Her scholarship focuses on adolescent development, family systems, mental health, gender role socialization, and feminist practice. She has received research awards from the National Association of Social Workers and the Interdisciplinary Center for Research on Women and Gender at The University of Michigan. She is a member of the Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education for the Council on Social Work Education and the Interdisciplinary Center for Family and Child Advocacy at Fordham University. 
Lucy Mercier is Associate Professor of Social Work and Youth Services at Saginaw Valley State University. She received her MSW from California State University Long Beach, and her Ph.D. in Social Work and Sociology from Michigan State University. She is a Licensed Master's Social Worker (Clincal and Macro) in the State of Michigan, and a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers (NASW). She has worked as a clinical social worker in the fields of children's mental health and child abuse treatment and prevention. Her research interests include women and work, family development, and gender/sexual orientation in the family. She is a member of the Council on the Role and Status of Women for the Council on Social Work Education, and a consulting editor for the Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work.