Emotional Closeness in Adulthood : How Adolescent Communication and Relational Climate Shape Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

38 p.This study examined the roles of communication quality and relational climate between an adolescent and their parents in predicting emotional closeness in adulthood, and whether these interactions were affected by family structure and attachment style. There were 5,114 participants from Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Communication quality, relational climate, family structure and attachment style were assessed during adolescence, while emotional closeness was reported in adulthood. Findings showed that relational climate in adolescence was a stronger predictor of adult emotional closeness than adolescent communication quality. Family structure moderated the role of communication quality but not the one of relational climate. Relational climate remained a strong predictor of emotional closeness even after attachment style was accounted for, whereas communication quality did not. Overall, these findings emphasize the key role of relational climate in fostering strong parent-child bonds into adulthood and note the need for future research that explores wider family and social factors that shape closeness over time