A Meaningful Theory: 25 Years of Relational Dialectics Theory in the Journal of Family Communication
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2026
Publication Title
Journal of Family Communication
Abstract
In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Journal of Family Communication (JFC), the present essay celebrates two and a half decades of relational dialectics theory (RDT) in JFC, highlighting the reciprocal relationship between theory and journal. The authors, both of whom have a breadth of experience in conducting RDT research, first provide a history of RDT and an overview of key terms and assumptions. The essay then traces the history of RDT through the first 25 volumes of JFC. A review of the RDT-based original research articles in JFC turns an eye toward the family communication contexts that have – and have not – been studied. The authors conclude by turning to possible future RDT endeavors and providing suggestions for those who are, or are interested in, conducting research based on RDT.
Funding Source
This article was published Open Access thanks to a transformative agreement between Milner Library and Taylor & Francis.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
DOI
10.1080/15267431.2026.2638563
Recommended Citation
Thomas, L. J., & Scharp, K. M. (2026). A Meaningful Theory: 25 Years of Relational Dialectics Theory in the Journal of Family Communication. Journal of Family Communication, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2026.2638563
Comments
First published in Journal of Family Communication (2026): https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2026.2638563