Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

Research Spotlight
In 2014, Justin Parent, Jessica Clifton, Rex Forehand, Andrew Golub, Megan Reid,
and Emily R. Pichler set out to examine the relationships among parental mindfulness,
relationship quality, and parental firm control (“degree to which the parent consistently
regulates and monitors the child’s activities and conduct” 37 ). For this study, the
researchers specifically examined Black children who had a single mother and the
mother had a cohabitating male partner (CMP) who lived with them. The average age
of the children participants was 13 years old; the average age of the mother was 39; and
the average age of the CMP was 41.
First, the research did not find a relationship between a mother’s mindfulness and her
CMP’s mindfulness. For the mothers, mindfulness was positively related to relationship quality, and positively
related to parental firm control. For the CMP, mindfulness was positively related to relationship quality, but
was not related to parental firm control. We should also mention that mother and CMP relational quality was
positively related, and there was a positive relationship between mother and CMP use of parental firm control.
The researchers used family systems theory to help explain the CMP’s role within the family system.
Specifically, the researchers argue, “It is also important to note that the MCP’s role in different family
subsystems may be, at least in part, determined by how a mother defines her male partner’s role. For example,
his main role may be to meet her relationship needs and/or contribute to completing general household
responsibilities (e.g, grocery shopping, cleaning) rather than setting limits on an adolescent aged child.” 38
Parent, J., Clifton, J., Forehand, R., Golub, A., Reid, M., & Pichler, E. R. (2014). Parental mindfulness
and dyadic relationship quality in low-income cohabiting black stepfamilies: Associations with parenting
experienced by adolescents. Couple & Family Psychology, 3(2), 67–82. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000020
Research
Key Takeaways
• Although there are numerous definitions for the term “family,” this book uses the
following definition: two or more people tied by marriage, blood, adoption, or
choice; living together or apart by choice or circumstance; having interaction within
family roles; creating and maintaining a common culture; being characterized by
economic cooperation; deciding to have or not to have children, either own or
adopted; having boundaries; and claiming mutual affection. The family structure
is represented by single-mothers, single-fathers, two-parents, and adults living
together without children. The idea of family has shifted away from the notion
that a family is made up of a mother, father, and children.
• Jack M. McLeod and Steven H. Chaffee originally coined the term “family
communication patterns” and broke the concept into two different patterns of
family communicative behavior: socio-orientation and concept-orientation.
Concept-orientation is the pattern of family communication where freedom
of expression is encouraged, communication is frequent, and family life is
pleasurable. Conversely, socio-orientation is the pattern of family communication
where similarity is valued over individuality and self-expression, and harmony is
preferred over expression of opinion.
• Murray Bowen’s family systems theory is an extension of Ludwig von Bertalanffy’s
general systems theory. Bowen argued that human behavior is not determined
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