The degree to which families can openly discuss, collaborate, and share ideas. Conversation orientation has shown to be a predictor of mental health outcomes. 

High conversation orientation families encourage high self-efficacy, self-esteem, and supportiveness. Lack of self-esteem is negatively correlated with aggression and symptoms of depression and anxiety. 



Grand Valley State University

Consisting of conversational and conformity dimensions, family communication patterns theory conceptualizes the way family heirarchies make decisions, transmit attitudes and beliefs, relate to one another, and elicit support. 

Family Communication Patterns Theory

Zarnaghash, M., Zarnaghash, M., & Zarnaghash, N. (2013). The relationship between family communication patterns and mental health. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 84, 405–410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.06.575

The relationship between family communication patterns and mental health

Conversation Orientation

The degree to which similar belief systems and behaviors are emphasized in the household. According to a study by Zarnaghash et al. (2013), conformity orientation does not significantly predict mental health outcomes in children. More research is required on the extremes of conformity attitudes and how they manifest in mental health conversations.

Conformity Orientation

Inter-generational co-searching, discussion, and group decision making about health behaviors and information may strengthen family bonds, encourage co-learning between parents and children, improve problem solving skills, and increase academic attainment. 

By working together to translate important health information, the entire family is empowered to participate regardless of varying language and technical skills. Emphasizing familial involvement is especially culturally significant to Latino populations.

Pros to Framing Health Information as a Family Asset

Involving developing children in the discussion of sensitive health information, the stress of translating between languages in medical settings, understanding and explaining advanced medical jargon, and crossing child-parent boundaries into co-dependency and over-reliance can put strain on family relationships. There is potential for co-searching and inter-generational decision-making strategies to inadvertently undermine parental self-efficacy and elicit mutual frustration.


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