Handbook of Family Communication

The "Handbook of Family Communication" offers a comprehensive exploration and discussion of current research and theory on family interaction. Integrating the varying perspectives and issues addressed by family researchers, theorists, and practitioners, this volume offers a unique and timely view of family interaction and family relationships. With a synthesis of research on issues key to understanding family interaction, as well as an analysis of many theoretical and methodological choices made by researchers studying family communication, the "Handbook" serves to advance the field by reframing old questions and stimulating new ones.

The contents are comprised of chapters covering:
*theoretical and methodological issues influencing current conceptions of family;
*research and theory centering around the family life course;
*communication occurring in a variety of family forms;
*individual family members and their relationships;
*dynamic communication processes taking place in families; and
*family communication embedded in social, cultural, and physical contexts.

The volume concludes with a commentary emphasizing the themes that tie the chapters together.

Highlighting the work of scholars across disciplines--communication, social psychology, clinical psychology, sociology, family studies, and others--this volume captures the breadth and depth of research on family communication and family relationships. The internationally-known contributors approach family interaction from a variety of theoretical perspectives and focus on topics ranging from the influence of structural characteristics on family relationships to the importance of specific communication processes.

The "Handbook of Family Communication" serves as a benchmark of the current state of scholarship in this dynamic area, offering new perspectives on extant literature, as well as important theoretical and methodological recommendations for future work. As such, it will be of great value to researchers and theorists studying family interaction and family relationships. It will also serve as a text for graduate-level coursework in family studies, family communication, relational communication, and related areas. Additionally, practitioners who work with families will be well served by this book, and counselors and therapists will find the theory and research presented here extremely relevant to their work with individuals and families.