Child and Adolescent Social Work Joumal Volume 14, Number 6, December 1997 Social Work Practice with Polygamous Families Alean Al-Krenawi, Ph.D., John R. Graham, Ph.D., and Salem Al-Krena^, ABSTRACT: Data are based on student files of 25 Bedouin-Arab children bom to senior motbers of polygamous families, and interviews with the chil- dren's teachers and mothers. Mothers complained of somatic symptoms, eco- nomic problems, poor relations with the husband, and competition and jeal- ousy between the co-wives and among the co-wives' children. Children had a variety of behavioural problems, and below average academic achievement. Social work practice should recognize the cultural and personal significance of polygamy to family members; appreciate the significance of polygamy to chil- dren's functioning; select children as a target system for intervention; and reinforce the Islamic value base for interventions. Wliile a small body of research examines family therapy with "infor- mal polygamy (Rivett & Street, 1993), the present article is the first to consider social work intervention in the context of formal polyga- mous marriage. It provides a knowledge-driven foundation that is in- tended to be a first step in informing social work practitioners of other skills to be developed, and social work researchers of a topic about which little is now known. Polygamy is not legal in most West- em countries. Many social workers, particularly those with practice experiences limited to the West, have little, if any, exposure to the phenomenon. But in an increasingly multicultural West, knowledge of polygamy is needed for successfiil practice with ethno-communities where the practice is, or has been, prevalent. Similarly, greater Alean Al-Krenawi, Ph.D. is Lecturer, Department of Social Work, Ben Gurion Uni- versity of the Negev, Israel. John R. Graham, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Lakehead University, Canada. Salem Al-Krenawi, B.A. is Principal, Slah Al-Dyin Elementary School, Rahat, Israel. Address communications t» Alean Al- Krenawi, Ph.D., Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Social Work, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. 445 © 1997 Human Sciences Press, Inc.