| With an average divorce rate of approximately 50 percent (Carter & McGoldrick, 2005), it is estimated that 20 percent of U.S. adolescents have at least one step-parent. Because familial structure plays a large role in shaping self-identity of oneself and the identity of the familial unit as a whole, blended families contrast to traditional families in terms of communication styles, behavioral outcomes, and several other factors. For the purposes of this paper, a "blended family" will refer to one in which the household contains at least one step-parent and a "traditional family" will refer to one in which both biological parents are married and living within the same household. In relation to these blended families, limited research has been done to understand the dynamic of the parent-child relationship as well as the impact on the overall family's well-being, focusing on issues such as communication, discipline, and self-awareness of not only the step-parent and the step-child, but those of the biological parents and children involved as well. To research this theory, the Communication Privacy Management Theory (CPM Theory) will be used. The intent of this paper is to investigate why blended families report a higher level of household issues comparative to traditional families and how communication plays a role in this increased level of discord. |
