The Communication Skills and Family Resources in the University Students: The Moderating Effect of Encoding Skills and Commitment to Family

Background: Although communication skills can lead to family resources, the association between communication skills in adolescents and family resources remains to be examined multi-dimensionally. Therefore, we examined whether family resources are predicted by six categories of communication skills. Further, we examined the moderating effect of encoding skills and commitment to family in the association between decoding skills and family resources. Method: One hundred forty university students completed several questionnaires assessing communication skills, family resources, and commitment to family. Results: Results indicated that expressivity in communication skills positively predicted cohesion and trust in family strength, and regulation of interpersonal relationships negatively predicted balance between individual family members and the family system. Additionally, analysis showed that commitment to family moderated relationships between "deciphering ability" and trust in family strength in family resources. The hypothesis that trust in family strength is negatively predicted by deciphering ability among those low in commitment to family is supported. Discussion: It can be effective in clinical support to help individuals express feelings and needs to enhance family resources needed to bounce back from a crisis. However, in individuals low in commitment to family, when a practitioner helps individuals with high deciphering ability enhance their commitment to family, it is important to help prevent negative family relationships caused by experiencing mental burdens generated by family dynamics.