Family communication

This chapter overviews social-scientific family communication research. Particular emphasis is given to empirical research designed to test theoreticallyderived hypotheses and to research that has originated within the communication discipline. After briefly discussing the centrality of families to human relationships and the centrality of communication to family relationships, two general theories of family communication are reviewed, followed by a review of theories more narrowly focused on specific types of family communication. Empirical findings that buttress knowledge claims concerning family communication are reported. The main focus, however, is on the underlying theories or models motivating the research. The chapter concludes with a summary evaluation highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the research as well as predictions about future developments in the family communication research area.