Which option correctly lists the stages in order from childless couple to later life?

• A. Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 4, Stage 8
• B. Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8
• C. Stage 8, Stage 7, Stage 6, Stage 5
• D. Stage 4, Stage 6, Stage 5, Stage 7

Answer: (B)

Understanding this item hinges on the order of the family life cycle stages. Each stage reflects a new family configuration and set of developmental tasks, and they should progress in time from a childless couple to later life without skipping or reversing.

The correct sequence moves from the childless couple stage, then through stages involving children (early parenting and school/adolescent years), then the launching phase as children become independent, and finally into later life and aging. This forward, uninterrupted progression best matches how families typically develop over time; there’s no jumping ahead, moving backward, or leaving out intermediate stages.

The other options fail because they either disrupt the forward order (reversing or skipping stages) or present a non-monotonic sequence that doesn’t reflect how the family life cycle unfolds.