Associations Between Parents’ and Young Adults’ Face-to-Face and Technologically Mediated Communication Competence: The Role of Family Communication Patterns

Abstract

This study examined associations between parents’ and young adults’ communication competence in the contexts of face-to-face (FtF) and technologically mediated communication (TMC). We investigated the role of family communication patterns in parental socialization of communication competence. In our investigation, we focused on two distinct aspects of communication competence: effectiveness and appropriateness. Analyzing self-report data of 104 parent-child dyads, we found that parents’ self-reported FtF communication appropriateness was directly associated with children’s self-reported FtF and TMC appropriateness. Children’s reports of conversation orientation were positively associated with their self-reported FtF and TMC effectiveness. Additionally, parents’ reports of conformity orientation were positively linked to children’s self-reported FtF communication appropriateness. These findings suggest that parental influences may manifest through different mechanisms for children’s communication effectiveness and appropriateness. Further, parents and family communication play important roles in children’s development of communication competence not only in FtF interactions, but also in TMC interactions.