Exploring the Effects of Family Communication on Adolescent Emotional Development

This study aims to examine the effects of family communication on the emotional development of adolescents in greater depth through group counseling with nine high school students from a secondary school in Gombak district, Selangor. The objectives of the study are to 1) understand the importance of family communication on the emotional development of adolescents and, 2) to identify the impact of family communication on the emotional management of adolescents. The Family Communication Pattern Theory (FCPT) by Koerner and Fitzpatrick (2006) guides the exploration of two main categories: conversation orientation and conformity orientation. Under the theme of conversation orientation, there are four sub-themes: 1) open communication, 2) threatening communication, 3) emotional support, and 4) paying attention during communication. For conformity orientation, there are two sub-themes: 1) complying with parental instructions and, 2) role as a child. Without strong family communication, conflicts between parents and adolescent children are likely to arise.