ABSTRACT

Using Family Communication Patterns (FCP) theory, this study examined the frequency and comfort of young adults’ political conversations with their parents as mediators of family communication patterns and relational quality in parent–child relationships. Participants included 235 young adults from the United States who were predominantly White, college-educated, and conservative Republicans. After controlling for divorce status, political ideology, party affiliation, and political similarity with mother and father, the results indicated that conversation orientation positively predicts the comfort young adults have with discussing politics with both parents. Comfort discussing politics, in turn, mediated the positive association between conversation orientation and both indicators of relational quality. No evidence of mediation was observed for the frequency with which young adults talk politics with both parents, although frequency of political talk predicted closeness and satisfaction with father but only dissatisfaction with mother. Implications for FCP theory and political socialization are discussed.

摘要

本研究使用家庭沟通模式（FCP）理论，研究了年轻人与父母之间作为家庭沟通模式和亲子关系关系质量的中介者的政治对话的频率和舒适度。参加者包括来自美国的235位年轻人，这些年轻人主要是白人，受过大学教育的保守派共和党人。在控制了离婚状况，政治意识形态，政党归属以及与父母父亲的政治相似性之后，研究结果表明，谈话取向积极地预测了年轻人对与父母双方讨论政治的舒适度。舒适地讨论政治反过来又在对话取向和关系质量的两个指标之间建立了积极的联系。尽管政治对话的频率预示着对父亲的亲近和满意，而仅对母亲的不满，但没有观察到任何证据表明年轻人与父母双方进行政治对话的频率。讨论了对FCP理论和政治社会化的启示。