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Communication Quarterly Volume 48, 2000 - Issue 2
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Original Articles

Is openness always better?: Exploring the role of topic avoidance, satisfaction, and parenting styles of stepparents

Tamara D. Golish Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Linguistics, Luther College, Decorah, IA, 52101
Pages 137-158 | Published online: 21 May 2009

Citations (43)

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Mark A. Generous & Maureen Keeley. (2017) Wished for and avoided conversations with terminally ill individuals during final conversations. Death Studies 41:3, pages 162-172.
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Sandra M. Metts, Paul Schrodt & Dawn O. Braithwaite. (2017) Stepchildren’s Communicative and Emotional Journey from Divorce to Remarriage: Predictors of Stepfamily Satisfaction. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage 58:1, pages 29-43.
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Haya Itzhaky & Karni Kissil. (2015) “It’s a Horrible Sin. If They Find Out, I Will Not be Able to Stay”: Orthodox Jewish Gay Men’s Experiences Living in Secrecy. Journal of Homosexuality 62:5, pages 621-643.
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Yariv Orgad. (2014) On family secrets and –k. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis 95:4, pages 771-789.
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AnneF. Merrill & TamaraD. Afifi. (2012) Examining the Bidirectional Nature of Topic Avoidance and Relationship Dissatisfaction: The Moderating Role of Communication Skills. Communication Monographs 79:4, pages 499-521.
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Sarah E. Wilder. (2012) A Comparative Examination of Reasons for and Uses of Uncertainty and Topic Avoidance in First and Remarriage Relationships. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage 53:4, pages 292-310.
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Jordan D. Hamon & Paul Schrodt. (2012) Do Parenting Styles Moderate the Association Between Family Conformity Orientation and Young Adults' Mental Well-Being?. Journal of Family Communication 12:2, pages 151-166.
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Mike Anderson, Adrianne Kunkel & Michael Robert Dennis. (2011) “Let's (Not) Talk About That”: Bridging the Past Sexual Experiences Taboo to Build Healthy Romantic Relationships. The Journal of Sex Research 48:4, pages 381-391.
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Leslie A. Baxter & Chitra Akkoor. (2011) Topic Expansiveness and Family Communication Patterns. Journal of Family Communication 11:1, pages 1-20.
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SeanM. Horan & MeganR. Dillow. (2009) Deceivers and Emotion: The Relationships Among Deceptive Message Type, Relational Qualities, and Guilt and Shame. Atlantic Journal of Communication 17:4, pages 149-165.
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Shuangyue Zhang & Laura Stafford. (2009) Relational Ramifications of Honest but Hurtful Evaluative Messages in Close Relationships. Western Journal of Communication 73:4, pages 481-501.
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MeganR. Dillow, Katie Neary Dunleavy & KeithD. Weber. (2009) The Impact of Relational Characteristics and Reasons for Topic Avoidance on Relational Closeness. Communication Quarterly 57:2, pages 205-223.
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SachiyoM. Shearman & Rebecca Dumlao. (2008) A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Family Communication Patterns and Conflict Between Young Adults and Parents. Journal of Family Communication 8:3, pages 186-211.
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Shuangyue Zhang & Laura Stafford. (2008) Perceived Face Threat of Honest but Hurtful Evaluative Messages in Romantic Relationships. Western Journal of Communication 72:1, pages 19-39.
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Julie Gosselin & Hélène David. (2007) Risk and Resilience Factors Linked with the Psychosocial Adjustment of Adolescents, Stepparents and Biological Parents. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage 48:1-2, pages 29-53.
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Elizabeth Harzold & Lisa Sparks. (2006) Adult Child Perceptions of Communication and Humor When the Parent Is Diagnosed with Cancer: A Suggestive Perspective from Communication Theory. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication 7:1, pages 67-78.
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René M. Dailey & Nicholas A. Palomares . (2004) Strategic topic avoidance: an investigation of topic avoidance frequency, strategies used, and relational correlates. Communication Monographs 71:4, pages 471-496.
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DawnO. Braithwaite, M. Chad McBride & Paul Schrodt. (2003) “Parent teams” and the everyday interactions of co‐parenting in stepfamilies. Communication Reports 16:2, pages 93-111.
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John P. Caughlin & Tamara D. Golish. (2002) An analysis of the association between topic avoidance and dissatisfaction: comparing perceptual and interpersonal explanations. Communication Monographs 69:4, pages 275-295.
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Jack Sargent. (2002) Topic avoidance: Is this the way to a more satisfying relationship?. Communication Research Reports 19:2, pages 175-182.
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Articles from other publishers (23)

J. Scott Crapo, Joshua J. Turner, Kay Bradford & Brian J. Higginbotham. (2022) An Actor‐Partner interdependence model of parenting difficulties over time in stepfamilies . Family Process 62:2, pages 653-670.
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Lawrence Ganong, Caroline Sanner, Steven Berkley & Marilyn Coleman. (2021) Effective coparenting in stepfamilies: Empirical evidence of what works. Family Relations 71:3, pages 918-934.
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Katherine Qianwen Sun & Michael L. Slepian. (2020) The conversations we seek to avoid. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 160, pages 87-105.
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Melissa Maier, Katie Turkiewicz & Anna R. Herrman. (2019) Relational Maintenance Strategies and Satisfaction in the Stepmother–Stepdaughter Dyad. The Family Journal 27:4, pages 377-386.
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Nicholas A. Palomares & Danielle Derman. (2016) Topic Avoidance, Goal Understanding, and Relational Perceptions: Experimental Evidence. Communication Research 46:6, pages 735-756.
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John Leustek & Jennifer A. Theiss. 2018. Contemporary Studies on Relationships, Health, and Wellness. Contemporary Studies on Relationships, Health, and Wellness 73 92 .
Carla L. Fisher, Bianca M. Wolf, Craig Fowler & Mollie Rose Canzona. (2016) Experiences of “openness” between mothers and daughters during breast cancer: implications for coping and healthy outcomes. Psycho-Oncology 26:11, pages 1872-1880.
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Lawrence Ganong & Marilyn ColemanLawrence Ganong & Marilyn Coleman. 2017. Stepfamily Relationships. Stepfamily Relationships 143 173 .
Amy Janan Johnson. 2015. The International Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Communication. The International Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Communication 1 5 .
Garrett T Pace, Kevin Shafer, Todd M Jensen & Jeffry H Larson. (2013) Stepparenting issues and relationship quality: The role of clear communication. Journal of Social Work 15:1, pages 24-44.
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Tatiana D. Gray, Matt Hawrilenko & James V. Cordova. (2015) The Better Part of Valor: Developing a System for Studying How Couples Transition Out of Untimely Conflict Conversations. Journal of Relationships Research 6.
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Tamara D. Afifi, Andrea Joseph & Desiree Aldeis. (2011) The “standards for openness hypothesis”. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 29:1, pages 102-125.
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Walid A. AfifiTamara D. Afifi. (2009) Avoidance among adolescents in conversations about their parents’ relationship: Applying the Theory of Motivated Information Management. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 26:4, pages 488-511.
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RONI BERGER & MARILYN PAUL. (2008) Family Secrets and Family Functioning: The Case of Donor Assistance. Family Process 47:4, pages 553-566.
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Paul Schrodt. (2016) Development and validation of the Stepfamily Life Index. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 23:3, pages 427-444.
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Nicholas A. Palomares, James J. Bradac & Kathy Kellermann. (2006) Chapter 2: Conversational Topic along a Continuum of Perspectives: Conceptual Issues. Communication Yearbook 30:1, pages 45-97.
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CATRIN FINKENAUER, TOM FRIJNS, RUTGER C. M. E. ENGELS & PETER KERKHOF. (2005) Perceiving concealment in relationships between parents and adolescents: Links with parental behavior. Personal Relationships 12:3, pages 387-406.
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J. Gosselin & H. David. (2005) Défis et contraintes des recherches sur les familles recomposées : l'exemple de la relation belle-mère–belle-fille. Psychologie Française 50:2, pages 241-254.
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John P. Caughlin. (2004) When is Topic Avoidance Unsatisfying?.. Human Communication Research 30:4, pages 479-513.
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Leanne K. Knobloch & Katy E. Carpenter-Theune. (2016) Topic Avoidance in Developing Romantic Relationships. Communication Research 31:2, pages 173-205.
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Tamara D. Afifi. (2016) ‘Feeling Caught’ in Stepfamilies: Managing Boundary Turbulence through Appropriate Communication Privacy Rules. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 20:6, pages 729-755.
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Tamara D. Golish. (2003) Stepfamily Communication Strengths.. Human Communication Research 29:1, pages 41-80.
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John P. Caughlin. (2003) Family Communication Standards.. Human Communication Research 29:1, pages 5-40.
Crossref

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