Denise Ann Bodman, PhD, has taught family and human development courses at Arizona State University's T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics for over 30 years, garnering numerous teaching and service awards. Her writings (both popular and scientific) and research have focused on cross-cultural parenting and family relationships.

Bethany Bustamante Van Vleet, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer at Arizona State University in the School of Social and Family Dynamics. Her passion lies in engaging students while teaching them about family and human development, measurement, and statistics. With a husband and six kids, Family Processes is more than just a textbook to Bethany.

Before his passing, Randal D. Day, PhD, was a popular teacher, mentor, researcher, and scholar. He published more than 100 research articles, books, and government documents focusing on family processes, men in families, and social science research.

Part I. Foundations. 1. "Family" and Family Processes. 2. Theories About Family Life. 3. How We Study Family. 4. Generations: Graphing Family Processes. Part II: Building and Establishing Families. 5. Coming Together. 6. Family Ideologies and Paradigms: The Core of Family Life. 7. Family Rituals and Routines: Windows of Family Identity. Part III: Maintaining Families - Ties that Bind. 8. Rules and Rule Sequences. 9. Communicating in Families. 10. Regulating Distance. 11. Forgiveness, Kindness, Hope, and Gratitude. Part IV: Change, Turbulence, Gains, and Losses. 12. Families as Units of Change and Transition. 13. Family Stress and Resilience. 14. Epilogue.