THE MARRIAGE & FAMILY EXPERIENCE offers a realistic look at all kinds of families and relationships today. The book's experienced authors help you see and understand the underlying issues at work in marriages, families, and all kinds of relationships. Real-life cross-cultural examples and features that encourage you to reflect on your own life and behavior make the Twelfth Edition accessible and compelling. You'll find the latest information on adoptive parenting, childbearing patterns, gay and lesbian families, the meaning of virginity, gender roles and sexuality, communication and conflict resolution, the influence of popular culture, and working families. This is a book you can relate to--and one you will want to read.