Samek Diana R, Rueter Martha A
University of Minnesota.
J Marriage Fam. 2011 Oct 1;73(5):1015-1031. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2011.00865.x.
Previous research has demonstrated the protective effect of family and sibling closeness on child adjustment, but fewer studies have investigated how closeness is promoted within families. Guided by Family Communication Patterns Theory, we tested the association between family communication and sibling emotional and behavioral closeness, and whether adoptive status moderated this relationship. Participating families included 616 adoptive and non-adoptive families with two adolescent children. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Sibling closeness was highest in families that emphasized both conversation and conformity and lowest in families that emphasized only conversation or neither conversation nor conformity. Emotional and behavioral closeness were differentially associated with adoption status, sibling age, and sibling gender. Few moderating effects of adoption status were found. Post hoc analyses showed moderating effects of sibling gender composition.
以往的研究已经证明了家庭及兄弟姐妹亲密关系对儿童适应的保护作用，但较少有研究探讨家庭内部亲密关系是如何增进的。在家庭沟通模式理论的指导下，我们检验了家庭沟通与兄弟姐妹情感及行为亲密关系之间的关联，以及收养状态是否会调节这种关系。参与研究的家庭包括616个有两个青少年子女的收养家庭和非收养家庭。使用结构方程模型对假设进行了检验。在强调对话和一致性的家庭中，兄弟姐妹间的亲密程度最高；而在只强调对话或既不强调对话也不强调一致性的家庭中，亲密程度最低。情感和行为亲密关系与收养状态、兄弟姐妹年龄及兄弟姐妹性别存在差异关联。几乎未发现收养状态的调节作用。事后分析显示了兄弟姐妹性别构成的调节作用。
