Beyond the psychiatric population: Communication patterns of healthy families

Ozlem Camli, Purdue University

Abstract

This study investigated the communication styles of 73 non-referred families with children in elementary school. Neither the children nor their parents were using mental health services or had clinical diagnoses at the time of the investigation. Parent and child communication styles were assessed using a story telling task (Thematic Apperception Test). Family communication patterns was measured through a family activity planning task. Individual controlled attention skills, overall family functioning and children's school behavior were also assessed. Communication deviance, which refers to confusing and fragmented communication preventing individuals from establishing and maintaining a shared focus of attention and meaning in interpersonal verbal interaction, was most frequently observed in closure and peculiar verbalization categories, which involve loose endings and odd word usage, respectively. Children's communication deviance scores were found to be related to maternal communication deviance scores but not to paternal ones. Parental communication deviance scores were not found to be related to controlled attention functioning. However, children with poor attention skills tended to display more communication deviance. Children's attentional functioning was also associated with their level of adaptive functioning and social skills. Increased level of stress in the family adversely affected children's communication skills. Family communication deviance scores were not related to individual communication deviance values. The results suggest that communication deviance may be more accurately measured on a continuum from normality to pathology than by assignment into high or low communication deviance groups based on the rate of occurrence. This study provided a preliminary baseline for assessing individual and family communication deviance within a non-referred sample of adults and children. The characteristics of family interaction in an emotionally stable sample may be used to help clinical families develop effective communication skills. Remedial cognitive skills training may prevent future emotional and social problems in children with poor controlled attention functioning.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Merritt, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Psychotherapy|Communication

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