11th Edition
Family Communication Cohesion and Change
Now in its eleventh edition, Family Communication: Cohesion and Change continues to provide students with a foundational, accessible, and inclusive overview of the family communication field.
The eleventh edition represents the plurality of today’s families, helping students see themselves and think through how the up-to-date research and theory apply to their lives. It features a more concise narrative with streamlined central concepts that are more straightforward and engaging for students. Now presented in three sections, Communication and Family Lenses, Communication and Family Cohesion, and Communication and Family Adaptability, this edition’s new features include learning objectives for each chapter, Family Portrait interviews with top scholars, a glossary of key definitions, and expanded Family Reflections discussion questions interspersed in the text.
This book is ideal for undergraduate courses in family communication, allied subjects in communication studies, family studies, nursing, and social work programs.
The accompanying Instructor and Student Resources provide free digital materials designed to test students’ knowledge and save instructor’s time when preparing lessons. Visit www.routledgelearning.com/familycommunication for interactive activities, practice quizzes, and more.
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Section 1: Communication and Family Lenses
Chapter 1: What is a Family?
Our Framework for Understanding Family Communication
Defining Family
Understanding Family as a System
Diversity of the Contemporary Family
Coupling and the Contemporary Family
Parenting and the Contemporary Family
Generations and the Contemporary Family
Conclusion
Key Words
Chapter 2: What is Family Communication?
The Communication Process
Communication as Social Construction of Family Relationships
Communication Patterns and Family Effects
Supporting Functions Shaping Family Communication
Family of Origin Influences
Conclusion
Key Words
Chapter 3: Family Communication Theories
Meta-theories and Theories
Communication Accommodation Theory
Communication Privacy Management Theory
Communicated Narrative Sense-Making Theory
Communication Theory of Identity
Conclusion
Key Words
Chapter 4: Communication and Family Development
Developmental Stage Model of Child Development
Life-course Perspective
Transitions Between Life Stages
Conclusion
Key Words
Section 2: Communication and Family Cohesion
Chapter 5: Communication Patterns and the Creation of Family Identity
Family Communication Forms and Relational Cultures
Family Communication Rules
Family Secrets
Family Communication Networks
Family Stories
Conclusion
Key Words
Chapter 6: Relational Maintenance Within Families
Maintenance Strategies and Confirmation
Maintenance Through Rituals
Maintenance Through Relational Currencies
Relational Maintenance in Different Family Relationships
Conclusion
Key Words
Chapter 7: Intimacy Within Partnerships and Families
Communicating Commitment
Self-Disclosure, Privacy Management, and Intimacy
Sexuality and Communication in Families
Barriers to Intimacy
Conclusion
Key Words
Chapter 8: Communication and Family Roles and Types
Specific Role Functions and Family Responsibilities
How Family Members Learn, Adjust, and Relinquish Family Roles
Communication in Different Types of Couples and Families
Conclusion
Key Words
Section 3: Communication and Family Adaptability
Chapter 9: Power, Influence, and Decision-Making in Families
The Development and Communication of Power in Family Relationships
Influence Strategies in Family Relationships
Decision-Making Processes in Family Relationships
Conclusion
Key Words
Chapter 10: Communication and Family Conflict
Family Conflict is a Communication Process
Family Conflict Involves Patterns and Rules
Destructive Conflict in Family Relationships
Constructive Conflict in Family Relationships
Conclusion
Key Words
Chapter 11: Family Communication and Stress
Unpredictable Stress and Family Coping
Communication and Family Resilience
Communication and Specific Crises
Conclusion
Key Words
Chapter 12: Family Communication, Health, and Wellness
Family Communication and Health
Family Communication and Well-Being
Approaches for Improving Family Communication
Final Thoughts on Family Communication
Conclusion
Key Words
Glossary
Subject Index
Biography
Dawn O. Braithwaite is a Willa Cather Professor Emerita at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA.
Paul Schrodt is the Philip J. and Cheryl C. Burguières Professor of Communication Studies at Texas Christian University, USA.
Colleen Warner is an Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Missouri, USA.
Kathleen M. Galvin was a Professor Emerita of Communication Studies at Northwestern University, USA.
“Like its predecessors, this edition of Family Communication: Cohesion and Change is outstanding. It presents current and classic research in a way that is both thought-provoking and accessible. Students will be drawn-in by the vivid examples and probing questions offered by the authors; instructors will appreciate the authors’ brilliant translation of complex theories and concepts for their students.”
- Anita L. Vangelisti, University of Texas at Austin, USA
“This edition continues a long-standing tradition of providing readers with a comprehensive yet contemporary view of family communication theory and research. Retaining its pedagogical focus, this text invites students to actively participate in their learning through the inclusion of case studies, thought-provoking data, expanded discussion questions, and interviews with family communication scholars. This text is a must-have for family communication instructors.”
- Scott A. Myers, West Virginia University, USA
