@article{ref1,
title="Couple Communication in Stepfamilies",
journal="Family Process",
year="2007",
author="Halford, Kim and Nicholson, Jan and Sanders, Matthew",
volume="46",
number="4",
pages="471-483",
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.<p />",
language="",
issn="0014-7370",
doi="10.1111/j.1545-5300.2007.00226.x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2007.00226.x"
}