ABSTRACT
When most people think of factors that promote or harm health, usually things like diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors come to mind. If family is thought of in this context, it is ordinarily in terms of genetic infl uences on health. However, marital and family interactions contribute to the development and course of many physical health issues. This is a very fascinating time in family science, as some communication variables have even been elevated to a causal level in the path to physiological responses and health problems. In turn, physical health issues shape the nature of many family interactions. In this chapter, we explore how marital/family interaction relates to spouses’ physical health, children’s illnesses, adolescents’ substance use and abuse, and adolescents’ and young adults’ sexual health. We also explore some of the major communication processes that families negotiate as they respond to physical health issues. These processes include caregiving/social support and privacy management. It is safe to say that at some point in time, the communication in every family changes in response to physical health issues or has an effect on the course of physical health problems. We are just beginning to understand the complex ways family interaction and physical health interact.
