Communication and Resilience in Stepfamilies

Abstract

Abstract Researchers have been working to better understand how stepfamily interactions, boundaries, roles, and expectations impact these restructured family systems. The authors center attention on important ways stepfamilies communicate to foster functional and resilient relationships among stepfamily members. We frame the stepfamily experience within Buzzanell’s communication theory of resilience to feature strengths and opportunities for stepfamilies as they are constituted in and through communicative processes that enhance their abilities to create new normalcies. We consider how stepfamilies interact and co-create their new family form via Buzzanell’s five resilience processes: (a) crafting normalcy, (b) foregrounding productive action while backgrounding negative feelings, (c) affirming identity anchors, (d) maintaining and using communication networks, and (e) putting alternative logics to work. We end with conclusions on the importance of focusing on the development of positive stepfamilies and everyday talk in functional stepfamilies.