Relationship between the Communication Patterns and the Emotional Atmosphere of the Family of Origin and the Attitude toward Marriage Mediating Role of Self-Differentiation

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the communicational patterns and emotional atmosphere of the family of origin and the attitude toward marriage considering the mediating role of self-differentiation. This study was conducted fundamentally, using the correlation method of path analysis. The statistical population included single students in Tehran and the sample consisted of 325 students (230 girls/90 boys). The instruments used were Marriage Attitude Scale (MAS), Family Communicational Pattern (RFCP), Emotional Atmosphere (Hill-Bern), and Self-differentiation (DSI-SF). Data were analyzed by path analysis using SPSS-24 and AMOS software. The results showed that among the communication patterns of the family of origin, the patterns of dialog and conformity had a significant relationship with self-differentiation. There was a significant relationship between emotional atmosphere in the family of origin and self-differentiation. There was a significant relationship between self-differentiation and optimistic, realistic, and ideal attitudes toward marriage. The results showed that self-differentiation mediated the relationship between the dialog patterns and the emotional atmosphere of the family of origin with an optimistic attitude toward marriage. Therefore, it can be concluded that by improving the communication patterns and emotional atmosphere of the family of origin, and thus increasing the self-differentiation of the individual, one can help to achieve an optimistic, realistic, and idealistic attitude toward marriage.

Keywords

• attitudes toward marriage
• self-differentiation
• communication pattern
• family of origin
• emotional atmosphere in the family