021— Difficult Family Dialogues

The purpose of this study is to understand what topics are difficult for emerging adults to discuss with family members and how they communicatively manage them. Specific research questions were (a) What topics are difficult for emerging adults to discuss with family members? (b) How do emerging adults attempt to manage these conversations? and (c) What strategies are effective and ineffective when it comes to managing these conversations? Qualitative data were collected from 60 emerging adults using an online survey. Findings revealed that the most difficult topics for emerging adults to discuss with their families include relationships, identities, education, the future, health and wellbeing, finances, and politics. Participants reported using intrapersonal communication, interpersonal communication, openness, third-party support, and avoidance to manage these topics. The effectiveness of each strategy differed by the individual and the strategy used. The study provides new insight about what makes these topics difficult and what does or does not work when trying to have a conversation.