Sibling Topic Avoidance in Emerging Adulthood: Associations with Sibling Communication Patterns, Interference/Facilitation, and Topic Avoidance Motivations

ABSTRACT

Sibling topic avoidance was examined from the perspective of family communication patterns, relational turbulence theory, and topic avoidance. Respondents (n = 291) completed a survey on sibling communication patterns, interference/facilitation, topic avoidance motivations, and topics avoided. Sibling conversation orientation positively predicted facilitation, and negatively predicted interference, topic avoidance motivations, and topic avoidance. Sibling conformity orientation positively predicted interference and topic avoidance motivations. Topic avoidance motivations mediated links between sibling communication patterns and topics avoided. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Notes

1. Bevan et al. (2006) excluded 19 participants over the age of 29 based on Erikson’s (1963) developmental stages. Our decision to follow a similar strategy is in keeping with the focus on emerging adulthood. Currently, there do not appear to be widely accepted inclusion/exclusion criteria when emerging adulthood is a sample characteristic. Arnett (2000) frequently uses the age range 18-25, but he also discusses emerging adulthood as a stage that can extend into the later twenties (pg. 477).

2. The nonsignificant bivariate correlation but significant predictive relationship between facilitation and everyday topic avoidance suggests suppression effects. A series of regression analyses confirms this effect is due to conversation orientation. Further information is available from the first author.

3. We would like to thank an anonymous reviewer for this suggestion.

4. We would like to thank an anonymous reviewer for this suggestion.