Being Open without Talking about It: A Rhetorical/Normative Approach to Understanding Topic Avoidance in Families after a Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Caughlin, John P.; Mikucki‐Enyart, Sylvia L.; Middleton, Ashley V.; Stone, Anne M.; Brown, Laura E.

doi:10.1080/03637751.2011.618141

Cited by 100 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Similarly, asking people to make global generalizations about their cancer-related discussions is likely to yield an inaccurate portrait of those discussions. In fact, research shows that individuals who say they are open in response to global or evaluative questions will go on to reveal withholding or communicating with caution when asked about particular cancer-related topics [71,72]. Thus, more work is needed to refine the measures used to assess couples' communication in cancer.…”

Section: Other Topics Of Discussion Besides Feelingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

New frontiers in couple-based interventions in cancer care: refining the prescription for spousal communication

Badr

2016

Acta Oncologica

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Background: The diagnosis and treatment of cancer is a life-altering experience that signals profound changes in a person's life. However, most people do not experience cancer in isolation or cope alone. Despite the fact that partners (i.e. spouses, significant others) provide emotional support and play a critical role in caregiving, cancer exacts a heavy toll on them and challenges their relationship with the patient by altering established communication patterns and roles. In recognition of this, a burgeoning literature involving couple-based interventions to improve patient and partner quality of life and adaptation has emerged. However, questions remain regarding how we can improve these interventions to exact greater impact on patient and partner outcomes. Material and methods: A narrative review of the literature on couples' communication processes in cancer was conducted in order to describe knowledge gaps and directions for future research. Results: Most couple-based interventions have included a communication skills training component because communication is an important process through which couples make sense of cancer, engage in social support, negotiate role changes and coordinate coping responses. However, scholars still know very little about what they should instruct couples to talk about, how often they should talk and when talking (or not talking) is beneficial (and for whom -the patient, partner, or both). Conclusion: In order push this field forward, we need to develop a more nuanced view of couples' communication that acknowledges that there are multiple ways to talk, different aspects of the cancer experience to talk about, and preexisting communication patterns and preferences for different couples that may influence the utility of talk. Interventions that replace the unilateral and generic prescription to talk openly about cancer with targeted questions that prompt reflection on couples' unique strengths, preexisting communication patterns and support resources may thus help bolster the impact of couple-based interventions on patient and partner quality of life.

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Section: Other Topics Of Discussion Besides Feelingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

New frontiers in couple-based interventions in cancer care: refining the prescription for spousal communication

Badr

2016

Acta Oncologica

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“…Similarly, participants in the current study felt protected when they avoided discussions about their deceased loved one. Hence, we join a burgeoning scholarly perspective that suggests both openness and avoidance can be functional as people navigate communication about sensitive topics (Caughlin, Mikucki-Enyart, Middleton, Stone, & Brown, 2011;Kirkman, Rosenthal, & Feldman, 2005).…”

Section: Rq2: Privacy Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hence, offering individuals an outlet for discussing their experiences is invaluable. Accordingly, formal support providers (e.g., clinical and counseling services) and informal support networks (e.g., online support groups) should be adept at promoting open communication to help people cope with death; however, formal and informal support providers may also be prudent to normalize avoidance and selective revelation in addition to openness (Caughlin et al, 2011).…”

Section: Grief Communication In the Family: Implications For Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grief Communication and Privacy Rules: Examining the Communication of Individuals Bereaved by the Death of a Family Member

Basinger

Wehrman

McAninch

2016

Journal of Family Communication

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“…General, abstract questions about one's relationship tap into these heuristics more readily than questions that focus attention on particulars (Huston & Robins, 1982). In fact, there is empirical evidence that respondents who say they are open in response to global or evaluative questions will go on to reveal withholding or communicating with caution when asked about particular cancer-related topics (Caughlin, Mikucki-Enyart, Middleton, Stone, & Brown, 2011;Goldsmith & Domann-Scholz, in press;Hinton, 1998).…”

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confidence: 97%

Conceptualizing How Couples Talk About Cancer

Goldsmith

Miller

2013

Health Communication

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Scholarship on couple communication about cancer employs variable conceptualizations of communication, and common measurement strategies make questionable assumptions about communication. This study provides a descriptive foundation for a multiple-topic, multidimensional approach to studying couple talk about cancer. Based on interviews with persons treated for cancer in the last 5 years and partners, we identified 16 topics and 5 dimensions of talk. "Talk about cancer" covers a broad range of issues. The frequency, openness, difficulty, and focus of talk vary considerably for different topics and can change over time or differ between partners. Disagreements were rare but highly salient, and satisfaction with talk tended to be high. These findings suggest we move away from abstract, general measures of couple communication and that we develop descriptive advice for couples, rather than simply prescribing "be open."

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Being Open without Talking about It: A Rhetorical/Normative Approach to Understanding Topic Avoidance in Families after a Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Cited by 100 publications

References 48 publications

New frontiers in couple-based interventions in cancer care: refining the prescription for spousal communication

New frontiers in couple-based interventions in cancer care: refining the prescription for spousal communication

Grief Communication and Privacy Rules: Examining the Communication of Individuals Bereaved by the Death of a Family Member

Conceptualizing How Couples Talk About Cancer

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