Citation

Halford K, Nicholson J, Sanders MATTHEW. Fam. Process 2007; 46(4): 471-483.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Family Process Institute, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1545-5300.2007.00226.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Effective communication is assumed to help sustain couple relationships and is a key focus of most relationship education programs. We assessed couple problem-solving communication in 65 stepfamily and 52 first-time-marrying couples, with each group stratified into high risk and low risk for relationship problems based on family-of-origin experiences. Relative to partners in first-time couples, partners in stepfamily couples were less positive, less negative, and more likely to withdraw from discussion. Risk was associated with communication in first-time but not stepfamily couples. Stepfamily couples do not exhibit the negative communication evident in high-risk first-time-marrying couples, and available relationship education programs that focus on reducing negative communication are unlikely to meet the needs of stepfamilies.