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Communication in Family Contexts. Theories and Processes. Edition No. 1

  • Book

  • 352 Pages
  • October 2019
  • John Wiley and Sons Ltd
  • ID: 5841742

An innovative, student-friendly textbook covering the major elements of the field of Family Communication

Family Communication, a rapidly growing sub-discipline within Communication Studies, explores the processes and factors involved in family interactions and relationships. Communication in Family Contexts is a clear and accessible survey of the essential principles, theories, and concepts of the field. Unlike textbooks that present a vast amount of material across only a few chapters - this innovative textbook features brief, easily-understood chapters ideally-suited for undergraduate courses on the subject.

The text provides concise yet comprehensive coverage of a diverse range of topics, from fundamental aspects of caretaking and sibling communication, to topics not covered in other textbooks such as estrangement and marginalization. 33 chapters cover theories of family communication, family communication processes, and communicating in family relationships. The authors, noted researchers and educators in the field, complement discussions of standard topics with those of growing contemporary interest, such as LGBTQ family communication, step-family and half-sibling relationships, and the influence of technology on family. This textbook:

  • Provides a well-rounded examination of the major elements of Family Communication studies
  • Explains the foundational theories of the field, including Family Communication Patterns Theory and Relational Dialectics Theory
  • Features numerous practical application exercises to enable students apply theory to practice
  • Includes a complete set pedagogical features, such as case studies, visualizations and models of theories, illustrations, and discussion questions
  • Offers a flexible organizational structure that allows instructors to pick and choose chapters to meet the needs of their courses

Communication in Family Contexts: Theories and Processes is an important resource for instructors and students in the field of family communication, the wider discipline of Communication Studies, and related areas such as social psychology and sociology.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Meet the Authors xv

Meet the Case Study Contributors xvii

Acknowledgments xxi

About the Companion Website xxiii

Chapter 1: An Introduction to Communication in Family Contexts 1

Chapter 2: Research Paradigms and Methods that Inform Family Communication Research 7

Part I: Theories of Family Communication 17

Chapter 3: Affection Exchange Theory 19

Chapter 4: Communication Privacy Management Theory 27

Chapter 5: Family Communication Patterns Theory 35

Chapter 6: Family Systems Theory 43

Chapter 7: Narrative Theories 49

Chapter 8: Social Cognitive Theory 57

Chapter 9: Relational Dialectics Theory 63

Part II: Family Communication Processes 75

Foundational Processes 77

Chapter 10: Caregiving in Families 79

Chapter 11: Conflict and Forgiveness 87

Chapter 12: Coping and Resilience in Families 101

Chapter 13: Difficult Family Conversations 109

Chapter 14: Discourse Dependence 119

Chapter 15: Family Distancing 127

Chapter 16: Information Management and Disclosure in Families 137

Chapter 17: Supportive Communication in Families 145

Chapter 18: Uncertainty Management 157

Major Family Transitions 165

Chapter 19: Cohabitation and Marriage 167

Chapter 20: Delaying, Forgoing, and Transitioning to Parenthood 175

Chapter 21: Divorce and Dissolution 185

Chapter 22: Remarriage and Stepfamily Formation 193

Part III: Communicating in Family Relationships 201

Family and Relationship Types 203

Chapter 23: Communication and Adoptive Families 205

Chapter 24: In-Law Relationships 215

Chapter 25: Intergenerational Relationships 223

Chapter 26: LGBTQ Families 235

Chapter 27: Parent-Child Relationships 241

Chapter 28: Partner Relationships 253

Chapter 29: Sibling Relationships 263

Chapter 30: Voluntary Kin Families 271

Family Communication in Context 275

Chapter 31: Family Communication in Health Contexts 277

Chapter 32: Family Communication in Organizational Contexts 287

Chapter 33: Family Communication in Technological Contexts 299

Author Index 311

Subject Index 315

Authors

Elizabeth Dorrance Hall Kristina M. Scharp