Family communication patterns, mediated communication, and well-being: A communication interdependence perspective on parent–adult child relationships

• Published in: Journal of social and personal relationships 2024-05, Vol.41 (5), p.1113-1135
• Main Authors: Buehler, Emily M., Crowley, Jenny L., Peterson, Ashley M., Jackl, Jennifer A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult children; Adults; Closeness; Communication; Conformity; Families & family life; Indirect effects; Interdependence; Interpersonal communication; Loneliness; Parent-adult child relations; Parents & parenting; Psychological well being; Segmentation; Technology; Well being
• ISSN: 0265-4075; 1460-3608
• DOI: 10.1177/02654075221145628

This study investigated how technology use, as understood through the communication interdependence perspective (CIP) and family communication patterns (FCPs), influence well-being in parent–adult child relationships. We proposed a model in which beliefs and attitudes about family communication shape adult children’s interdependent use of multiple modes of communication with a parent, which in turn impact their loneliness, psychological well-being, relational satisfaction, and closeness with a parent. Results revealed conversation orientation largely promoted communication interdependence (i.e., increased integration of face-to-face and mediated communication and ease of transitioning between channels), whereas conformity orientation largely dampened communication interdependence (i.e., increased segmentation to mediated channels and difficulty transitioning between channels). In turn, more communication interdependence (i.e., less segmentation to mediated channels and more ease transitioning between channels) corresponded with more relational well-being while segmentation to face-to-face reduced loneliness. Several indirect effects suggest that the ways adult children use technology with a parent help explain how cognitive schemas fostered by FCPs affect well-being. Theoretical implications are discussed as they pertain to the CIP and family communication.