COMMUNICATION, CONFLICT, AND THE QUALITY OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Conflict is one of the most (if not the most) studied and discussed subjects in the area of family communication. In fact, some authors suggest that conflict has been emphasized to such an extent that it has eclipsed positive aspects of marital and family interaction (Bradbury, Rogge, & Lawrence, 2001; Roberts & Greenberg, in press). Why do scholars show so much interest in communication and family conflict?