Family Communication April 2, 2007

Overview Definition of family Family Interaction and Communication Meanings and Messages Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems Family Networks

Definition of family Families are “networks of people who share their lives over long periods of time bound by ties of marriage, blood or commitment, legal or otherwise, who consider themselves as family and who share a significant history and anticipated future of function in a family relationship.” Inclusive of multiple types of “family” Traditional blood ties Blended families - adoption, step, grandparents raising grandchildren Fictive kin This is the definition used in this class throughout this lecture

Communication in the family “The family is a system constituted, defined, and managed through its communication. Family members regulate cohesion and adaptability to develop collective identity through the flow of patterned, meaningful messages within the network of evolving interdependent relationships located within a cultural context.”

Role of communication in family interaction Families co-create meanings Relational world-view that characterizes the family Context of race, religion, culture, gender, etc These meanings are shared and created through communication From the things that are said: family stories From the things that are not said: family secrets Families socialize their members Families are part of multigenerational communication patterns As a family we develop our own way of thinking about the world; you approach the world as a family unit in a similar way Individually, meanings are also created through unique experience based on birth order, and race, culture and gender

Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems Model to describe overall family function according to two features: Cohesion Emotional bonding of the family members Independence vs. Dependence Flexibility Amount of change in leadership, role relationships, and relations by rules How family relationships manage change Cohesion – closeness of relationships 4 levels of cohesion along a continuum Low end of continuum is disengaged: lack of closeness, loyalty, and interaction; each member is highly independent Next is separated families: still mostly independent, but loyal Next is Connected: for most part high level of engagement with one another High end of continuum is enmeshed: very little independence, few boundaries, high loyalty, many family secrets Adaptability/Flexibility Separate concept than cohesion Ability to regulate roles and rules in light of change; amount of change in leadership, role relationships, and relations by rules How families manage change 4 levels of adaptability along a continuum Low end of continuum is rigid: characterized by authoritarian leadership, high level of control, no room for negotiation Next is structure: some negotiation Next is flexible: egalitarian relationship, leadership and role sharing by two adults High end of continuum is chaos: no rules or norm, roles shift, no one takes control

Circumplex Model (cont.) Axis of Adaptability and Cohesion Healthiest families exist in the middle of the axis – balanced When you move out, mid-range On the outside is unbalanced Certain types of families typically are situated in specific points on the axis (types such as older adults, younger couples w/o kids) Tragic situations cause families to move along axis (examples from Seth’s family) Indicator of a functional family is that they are able to transitions from unbalanced to balanced after family event Communication dictates and facilitates the levels of cohesion and flexibility within the family and enables the family to change these levels In this model then, communication is the mechanism

Family Networks Determines the “flow” of information/ messages among family members “Centralized Interaction Networks” Typically 1 person who acts as hub/gatekeeper “Y” “Wheel” “Decentralized” “Chain” “All channel” Networks are important because they deal with tasks, maintaining secrets, organizing activities, regulating time, sharing resources, maintaining rules/roles Y – person at the branch is called gatekeeper; one person channels messages to others on chain Wheel – central person controls communication; powerful position; person in the middle overwhelmed with taking care of other people, typically the mother, not a lot of alone time; people on the spokes need patience because person in the middle is preoccupied with other people’s needs, detached with one another All channel – easier to get own needs met, can be chaotic Chain – built-in hierarchy; usually controlled by mother or father; people in the middle tend to have more power, people on end of chain feel isolated and have to depend on the person right next to one another

Use of networks Most families use a combination of these networks Most functional families use more than one network Move from wheel to all channel to wheel Extended Networks Networks can change as people change and include new people, e.g. grandparent Combinations are more elaborate as more extended family members are included