when children are not genetically related to their parents, what do we really know
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When children are not genetically related to their parents, What do we really know about parent-child communication?. Martha A. Rueter Department of Family Social Science University of Minnesota. Presentation overview. Introduction: What we know about family communication. Foundation: - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
When children are not genetically related to their parents,
What do we really know about parent-child communication?
Martha A. Rueter
Department of Family Social Science
University of Minnesota
Presentation overview
Introduction:What we know about family communication
Foundation:Data source: SIBS
Guiding theory: Family Communication Patterns
Findings:Communication, genetic relatedness,
adjustment
Communication, genetic relatedness, agreementFuture Directions
Appropriate parental controlClear, positive or neutral messages
Listening to one anotherWarmth
Control Messages Listening Warmth
Family Communication
ChildAdjustment
Some things we know:
Introduction
When children are not genetically related to their parents,
What do we know about parent-child communication?
Martha A. Rueter
Department of Family Social Science
Ascan F. Koerner
Department of Communication Studies
University of Minnesota
Foundation
Sibling Interaction Behavior Study (SIBS)
Research Team
Matt McGue, PI
Bill Iacano
Irene Elkins
Meg Keyes
Martha Rueter
SIBS is funded by grants for the US government: NIMH, NIDA, NIAAA
Foundation
N = 617 families, each with two participating children.
Elder child, M age = 16.01 years.
Younger child, M age = 13.69 years.
N = 409 families: Child(ren) not genetically related to parents.
N = 285 families: Both children adopted.
N = 124 families: 1 child adopted, 1 child not adopted.
N = 208 families: Children genetically related to parents.
Sibling Interaction Behavior Study (SIBS)
Participants
Foundation
Family Adoption Status(Adoptive or Non-adoptive family)
Family communication and adoption status directly associated?
ChildAdjustment
Control Messages Listening Warmth
Family Communication
Family communication and adoption status interact.
Rueter et al, JFP, in pressRueter & Koerner, JMF, 2008
Foundation
Family Communication Patterns Theory
(Koerner & Fitzpatrick, 2004)
Optimal family functioning requires that members achieve a
Shared social reality exists when family members
(A) Agree.
(B) Accurately perceive their agreement.
shared social reality
Foundation
Family Communication
ChildAdjustment
Family Communication Patterns Theory
Foundation
Parent-childgenetic
relatedness
ChildAdjustment
Family SharedSocial Reality
Family Communication
Family Communication Patterns Theory
(Koerner & Fitzpatrick, 2004)
Conversation Orientation: Emphasizes discussion to achieve shared social reality.
Conformity Orientation: Emphasizes looking to an authority to achieve shared social reality.
Shared Social Reality Achieved through reliance on a combination of 2 orientations.
Foundation
Conversation Orientation
Co
nfo
rmit
y O
rien
tati
on
ConsensualProtective
Family Communication Patterns (FCP)
PluralisticLaissez-Faire
Low High
High
Foundation
M F O Y M F O Y M F O Y M F O Y
Family Communication
Patterns
(4 Latent Classes)
Observed Control
Observed Communication
ObservedListening
ObservedWarmth
Measuring Family Communication Patterns
Rueter & Koerner, JMF, 2008
Older Sex
Younger Sex
Findings: Adjustment
Laissez Faire
Rueter & Koerner, JMF, 2008
Control Communication Listening Warmth
Family Communication
Pattern
Parent-child genetic relatedness(Adoptive or Non-adoptive family)
Family Communication Pattern
and adoption status directly associated?
Findings: Adjustment
Dark Bars: Adoptive
Light Bars: Non-adoptive
Rueter & Koerner, JMF, 2008
Parent-child genetic relatedness(Adoptive or Non-adoptive family)
Family communication and genetic relatedness directly associated?
Control Messages Listening Warmth
Family Communication
Pattern
ChildAdjustment
Family communication and genetic relatedness interact.
Findings: Adjustment
Parent-child genetic relatedness(Adoptive or Non-adoptive family)
Control Messages Listening Warmth
Family Communication
Pattern
ChildExternalizing
Behavior
Family communication and genetic relatedness interact.
Findings: Adjustment
ObservedDefiance to Mother
Self-Reported
Delinquency
TeacherReported
Externalizing
Diagnosed Symptoms
Externalizing
ObservedDefiance to Father
Older childExternalizing Behavior
(2 Latent Classes)
Measuring child externalizing behavior
Rueter & Koerner, JMF, 2008
Older Sex
Older Age
Findings: Adjustment
Control Communication Listening WarmthHS
to M DBIExt
(Teacher)HS
to FExt
(Symptoms)
Family Communication
Pattern
ChildExternalizing
Behavior
Estimate the proportion of
children placed in the high externalizing subgroup
for each Family Communication Pattern
Findings: Adjustment
Hypothesized externalizing levels by Hypothesized externalizing levels by Family Communication PatternFamily Communication Pattern
Consensual
Pluralistic
Protective
Laissez-Faire
Conversation Orientation
Co
nfo
rmit
y O
rien
tati
on
Lowest externalizing
Moderate externalizing
Moderate externalizing
Highest externalizing
Findings: Adjustment
Parent-child genetic relatedness(Adoptive or Non-adoptive family)
ChildExternalizing
Behavior
Control Messages Listening Warmth
Family Communication
Pattern
Family Communication Pattern and
genetic relatedness interact.
Findings: Adjustment
Conversation Orientation
Co
nfo
rmit
y O
rien
tati
on
Consensual
Pluralistic
Protective
Laissez-Faire
Hypothesized externalizing levels by Hypothesized externalizing levels by Family Communication Pattern and genetic Family Communication Pattern and genetic
relatednessrelatedness
Adopted similarto non-adopted
Adopted similarto non-adopted
Adopted higher than non-adopted
Adopted higherthan non-adopted
Findings: Adjustment
18.5%
4.1% 2.6%
16.7%
26.9%
0.0%
12.3%
7.8%
Proportion of Children placed in theHigh Externalizing Subgroup
across Family Communication Patterns by Adoption Status
Rueter & Koerner, JMF, 2008
Family Communication
Pattern
ChildAdjustment
Parent-childgenetic
relatedness
Family SharedSocial Reality
Family Communication Patterns Theory
and parent-child genetic relatedness
Family Communication
Pattern
Family SharedSocial Reality
Parent-childgenetic
relatedness
The Role of Shared Social Reality
Findings: Agreement
Q1. Drinking is a good way to celebrate special occasions.
Q2. Drinking can help you feel less shy.
Q3. Drinking can make you feel more confident.
Q4. Drinking with others is a good way to have fun.
Q5. Drinking makes parties more fun.
Q6. Drinking makes it easier to talk to people at parties.
Sibling Shared Social Alcohol ExpectanciesSibling Shared Social Alcohol Expectancies
Older and younger sibling responses to 6 questions:
Items from the Alcohol Expectancies Questionnaire (Brown et al., 1987).
Measuring Shared Social Reality
Rueter & Koerner, ISSBD, 2008
Findings: Agreement
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6
Statistical Model of Sibling Shared Social Reality
OlderSocial AlcoholExpectancies
YoungerSocial AlcoholExpectancies
Older Sex
Older Age
Younger Sex
Younger Age
Rueter & Koerner, ISSBD, 2008
Findings: Agreement
Family Communication
Pattern
Sibling SharedSocial Reality
Siblinggenetic
relatedness
The Role of Shared Social Reality
Findings: Agreement
OlderSocial AlcoholExpectancies
YoungerSocial AlcoholExpectancies
Adoptive siblings (N = 409)
.07
(t = 1.32)
Non-adoptive siblings (N = 208)
.44
(t = 3.64)
OlderSocial AlcoholExpectancies
YoungerSocial AlcoholExpectancies
2 (df = 1) = 8.81, P < .05
Direct effect of genetic relatedness
Rueter & Koerner, ISSBD, 2008
Findings: Agreement
Direct effect of Family Communication Pattern
OlderSocial AlcoholExpectancies
YoungerSocial AlcoholExpectancies
Family emphasizes conversation (N = 230)
.42
(t = 4.27)
Family does not emphasize conversation (N = 386)
.02
(t = .44)
OlderSocial AlcoholExpectancies
YoungerSocial AlcoholExpectancies
2 (df = 1) = 13.92, P < .05
Rueter & Koerner, ISSBD, 2008
Findings: Agreement
OlderSocial AlcoholExpectancies
YoungerSocial AlcoholExpectancies
Family emphasizes conversation (N = 158)
.36
(t = 3.64)
Family does not emphasize conversation (N = 250)
-.04
(t = -.71)
OlderSocial AlcoholExpectancies
YoungerSocial AlcoholExpectancies
2 (df = 1) = 13.26, P < .05
Interaction between FCP and genetic relatedness:Adoptive siblings
Rueter & Koerner, ISSBD, 2008
Findings: Agreement
OlderSocial AlcoholExpectancies
YoungerSocial AlcoholExpectancies
Family emphasizes conversation (N = 72)
.71
(t = 2.55)
Family does not emphasize conversation (N = 136)
.35
(t = 2.34)
OlderSocial AlcoholExpectancies
YoungerSocial AlcoholExpectancies
2 (df = 1) = 1.77, P > .05)
Interaction between FCP and genetic relatedness:Non-adoptive siblings
Rueter & Koerner, ISSBD, 2008
Findings: Agreement
Family Communication
Pattern
Sibling SharedSocial Reality
Siblinggenetic
relatedness
The Role of Shared Social Reality
Findings: Agreement
Family Communication
Pattern
Family SharedSocial Reality
Parent-childgenetic
relatedness
ChildAdjustment
Future Directions