Date of Award

1-1-2009

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

First Advisor

Fran Dickson, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Mary Claire Morr Serewicz

Third Advisor

Elizabeth A. Suter

Fourth Advisor

Jessica Munns

Keywords

Closeness, Everyday talk, Family communication, Relational satisfaction, Siblings, Turning points

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the sibling relationship during the young adult years. Specifically, this study explored how turning points and everyday talk related to closeness and relational satisfaction among college age siblings. One-hundred and ninety-nine young adult participants completed a detailed questionnaire about their relationship with a sibling. Results indicated that (a) geographic distance does not have a significant effect on the closeness among siblings, (b) everyday talk was expressed in terms of three categories: expressions of intimacy, maintenance talk, and relationally risky talk, (c) all three categories of everyday talk related to closeness, while only expressions of intimacy was related to relational satisfaction, (d) there were nine turning point categories (time together, school, family issues, support, moving, change in the family structure, avoidance, conflict, and graduation) that siblings experienced during the young adult years and each related uniquely to closeness, and (e) seven unique patterns of closeness (gradual increase in closeness, sustained high degree of closeness, single disruption of low closeness, single disruptions of high closeness, multiple disruptions of closeness beginning low, sustained moderate degree of closeness, gradual decrease in closeness, and multiple disruptions of closeness beginning high) that siblings experienced during the young adult years.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Jennifer Kellie Corti

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

141 p.

Discipline

Communication

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