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Couple Communication in Stepfamilies
Author(s) -
HALFORD KIM,
NICHOLSON JAN,
SANDERS MATTHEW
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
family process
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.011
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1545-5300
pISSN - 0014-7370
DOI - 10.1111/j.1545-5300.2007.00226.x
Subject(s) - stepfamily , psychology , developmental psychology , focus (optics) , risk communication , social psychology , medicine , risk analysis (engineering) , physics , optics
Effective communication is assumed to help sustain couple relationships and is a key focus of most relationship education programs. We assessed couple problem‐solving communication in 65 stepfamily and 52 first‐time‐marrying couples, with each group stratified into high risk and low risk for relationship problems based on family‐of‐origin experiences. Relative to partners in first‐time couples, partners in stepfamily couples were less positive, less negative, and more likely to withdraw from discussion. Risk was associated with communication in first‐time but not stepfamily couples. Stepfamily couples do not exhibit the negative communication evident in high‐risk first‐time‐marrying couples, and available relationship education programs that focus on reducing negative communication are unlikely to meet the needs of stepfamilies.