From Me to You to Us: Exploring the Relationship Between Self-Care, Partner Communication, and Family Harmony

Abstract

At its core, the family unit is composed of individual members. The way in which an individual engages in self-care practices has been shown to influence their ability to interact with others. Minimal research has explored the impact of an individual’s self-care on broader family functioning. Through a systems theory lens, this paper aims to elucidate two specific mechanisms through which self-care may affect family harmony through dyadic communication constructs. A parallel mediation model was tested using a sample of participants who completed the ELEVATE relationship education program ( N = 1578). Findings revealed two positive indirect effects of self-care on family harmony via affectionate communication and negative conflict management. Results also indicated a positive direct relationship between self-care and family harmony. This study represents an important empirical step towards understanding the complex relationships among intrapersonal self-care, interpersonal communication, and broader family harmony. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.