Family Communication Patterns Influence on Adult Children’s Romantic Rituals and Relational Maintenance

• In Event: Family Communication Patterns and Narratives

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how family-of-origin influences adult children's interpersonal behaviors for maintaining a committed romantic relationship. The study explored the effects of family communication patterns on rituals and relational maintenance behaviors among adult children’s romantic relationships. Individuals who came from pluralistic families were found to enact couple-time rituals, while adult children from pluralistic and consensual family types were found to enact maintenance behaviors that result in positive relational characteristics.

Authors

• Michael Fowler, West Virginia University

• Judy Pearson, North Dakota State University

• Stephenson Beck, North Dakota State University