A Comparative Study on Family Communication Pattern, Perceived Emotional Invalidation, And Self-invalidation Among Young Adults Based on Sibling Status

Abstract

During the transitional phase of young adulthood, individuals tend to experience emotional turmoil and are more likely to turn to one’s family for emotional support. This is especially true in Indian context. However, to the extent emotional support is offered within the family, emotional invalidation is also prevailing due factors that are unique to Indian context. Existing literature suggest that, one of the contributors of emotional related difficulties in familial context could be communication pattern within the families. Earlier researches indicate that certain communication orientation within family is related to negative emotional outcomes among children of the families suggesting implying possibly invalidating perception by the individuals. Other researchers suggest cognitions and behaviors that reflect self-invalidation which could have possibly arisen from the invalidating perceptions. While, this is an existing notion, every individual is subjected to unique family dynamics and communication patterns and so does individuals who are single-born and those who have siblings. Withstanding this idea, this study intends to study the relationship between family communication patterns, perceived emotional invalidation, and self-invalidation among young adults. In addition to this, this study also focuses on how the relationship between these variables differs for young adults who are single-born and those with siblings.