The Discipline of Family Science: Reflecting on Our Past and Present and Envisioning Our Future

This paper offers a historical review of major milestones in the development of the field of family science. Employing eight criteria necessary for a discipline, I acknowledge key historical accomplishments as well as more recent developments to assess the present strength and vitality of the discipline of family science. After looking back at the past, and assessing the present, I offer a few suggestions for future directions in further bolstering the field with the hope that it prompts additional lines of thought and action.