What are strong family relationships?
Strong family relationships rely on positive and continuous communication. Families may be traditional nuclear families, or they may include grandparents, step-parents, siblings or distant relatives; there isn’t one particular type of family which is more likely than others to remain strong. The relationships formed within the family can be a significant, positive force in a young person’s life. The most important protective factors that families can provide are “positive parent-child relationships, positive discipline methods, monitoring and supervision and communication of prosocial values and expectations” (Kumpfer & Alvardo, 2003). Although most of the research regarding adolescent family relationships has been conducted on the interaction between young people and their biological parents (Steinberg, 2001; Crosnoe, Erickson, & Dornbusch, 2002; Miller, 2002) recently, researchers have begun looking at the impact of sibling relationships on adolescent development (Tucker, McHale, & C
