Parent-in-Law Privacy Management: An Examination of the Links Among Relational Uncertainty, Topic Avoidance, In-Group Status, and In-Law Satisfaction

Abstract

The present study used dual reasoning from communication privacy management theory and relational uncertainty to investigate how parents-in-law protected privacy boundaries within the parentand child-in-law dyad. More specifically, the links among relational uncertainty, topic avoidance, family in-group status, and satisfaction were explored. Study 1 (N = 59) provided descriptive data on categories of parent-in-law relational uncertainty. These categories generated a measure of parent-in-law relational uncertainty employed in Study 2 (N = 104). Findings from Study 2 revealed intriguing interactions among family in-group status, relational uncertainty, and topic avoidance. In addition, relational uncertainty was negatively associated with family in-group status and parent-in-law satisfaction.

Making Sense of Hurtful Mother-in-law Messages: Applying Attribution Theory to the In-Law Triad

“…Though we assessed DIL's satisfaction at the time she recalled the event, we have no measure of her closeness before she was hurt. Given that family hurtful messages can elicit more hurt than those holding nonfamily status (Vangelisti & Crumley, 1998) and given that DILs varying consideration of in-laws as family has consequences for their relationship (Mikucki-Enyart, 2011;Morr Serewicz, Hosmer, Ballard, & Griffin, 2008;Rittenour & Soliz, 2009), our limitation might best be addressed through measuring degree to which DILs "felt like family" with their MILs before and after the hurtful event occurred. In addition to these limitations, we only assessed DILs' perspectives.…”

Risk factors for divorce in Slovenia: a qualitative study of divorced persons’ experience

“…Proficiency in setting healthy boundaries, decisive and yet flexible and permeable so as to allow for connection and independence, is fundamental (Mikucki-Enyart, 2011;Rijavec Klobučar, 2015).…”

“…In cases where husband and wife cannot draw appropriate boundaries in the relationships with their respective parents, their relations can lead to conflict situations and quarrels (Merrill, 2007;Mikucki-Enyart, 2011).…”

“Was it all smoke and mirrors?”

“…These uncertainties are similar to questions expressed by in-laws (parents-and children-in-law) during the transition to extended family (Mikucki-Enyart, 2011;, in which the introduction of an ''outsider'' (e.g., the child-in-law) elicits questions about how the third party will impact dyadic relationships (e.g., parent-adult child relationship). Thus, similar to in-laws (Mikucki-Enyart, 2011; and spouses (Knobloch, 2008), adult children's relational uncertainty is often sparked by factors external to the parent-adult child relationship.…”

“…Thus, similar to in-laws (Mikucki-Enyart, 2011; and spouses (Knobloch, 2008), adult children's relational uncertainty is often sparked by factors external to the parent-adult child relationship. Additionally, participants expressed concern regarding how their parent's romantic relationship would impact the parent-child dyad, reflecting how the interdependence of the family system uniquely shapes the experience of relational uncertainty.…”