Analyzing College Students from Divorced and Intact Families and Their Family Communication Patterns and Interpersonal Communication Motives

The objective of this research was to investigate family communication patterns and interpersonal communication motives that college students use to communicate with their parents. In addition, this study analyzed sex differences among the different family types (e.g., divorced or intact families). The study also analyzed the relationships between family communication patterns and the relationship to parental closeness. These objectives were met over two studies. Findings suggest that there were specific communication motives (i.e., pleasure, relaxation, inclusion, and escape) that sons used to communicate with their fathers and fathers compared to daughters. Also, there were certain communication motives (i.e., escape and inclusion) that daughters used to communicate with their mothers compared to sons. Results showed that there are certain interpersonal motives (i.e., relaxation, inclusion, escape, and pleasure) that young adults use with their parents in divorced versus intact families. Results from this study suggest that family type difference and sex differences have an impact on familial communication.