Family Communication Patterns and Competitor Satisfaction: A National Survey of Collegiate Forensics Participants

Abstract

This study explores the relationships among collegiate forensic competitors' reported family communication patterns, parental knowledge of their forensic activities, and family communication satisfaction. Correlation (two-tailed) and multiple regression analyses suggest: (1) students tend to have more satisfying communication with their parents when students perceive that their parents know more about their participation in forensics; and (2) socio-oriented family communication patterns may better foster forensics competitors than do concept-oriented patterns. We discuss implications of these findings for family communication and forensics competitor satisfaction.

Key words:

• forensics
• family communication
• communication satisfaction