ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we compare/contrast multiple family communication theories—those originating within and outside of the communication discipline—in terms of the basic human needs that they highlight, the message processes that are connected to those needs, the ways in which families may facilitate/hinder need satisfaction, and the ways in which families are embedded in larger institutions. For example, Galvin’s (2014) discourse-dependence perspective emphasizes that families are created not just via blood and legal ties but also through discursive practices through which families create a sense of shared family identity among themselves and external audiences. All families are to defined to some extent via discourse, but this is especially true with non-traditional family forms in a society (e.g., stepfamilies, interracial/interethnic families, families with LGBTQ parents). Galvin’s perspective highlight identity (as a sense of belonging as well as communal recognition) as a fundamental human need, illuminates particular discursive practices (e.g., stories, accounts) that facilitate such needs, and highlights how connections between families and larger communities impact positive communication.
By comparing/contrasting how positive communication is (often implicitly) conceptualized within a range of family communication theories such as these, we hope to offer a more comprehensive framework for thinking about the nature of positive family communication and the complex ways in which family interaction may facilitate and/or hinder family members’ individual, relational, and collective happiness and well-being.
