John P. Caughlin

Associate Professor

Website: www.uiuc.edu/~caughlin

Curriculum Vitae

Education:  Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin.

Research Interests: Interpersonal communication, family communication, conflict in close relationships, secrecy and privacy in close relationships.

Current Research: Professor Caughlin’s current research examines communication in close personal relationships. The specific foci of his research are conflict and privacy. Recent projects related to conflict have examined different reasons why people in close relationships sometimes engage in demand/withdraw communication (a pattern in which one person nags or complains while the other avoids or withdraws). Understanding demand/withdraw is important because it seems to predict undesirable outcomes (e.g., marital dissatisfaction when it happens between married partners, low self esteem and drug abuse when it happens between parents and adolescents). Professor Caughlin's other recent work has examined when keeping secrets or avoiding topics help maintain satisfying relationships.

Representative Research Publications:

Caughlin, J. P., & Afifi, T. D. (2004). When is topic avoidance unsatisfying? Examining moderators of the association between avoidance and satisfaction. Human Communication Research, 30, 479-513.

Caughlin, J. P., & Malis, R. S. (2004). Demand/withdraw communication between parents and adolescents: Connections with self-esteem and substance use. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 21, 125-148.

Caughlin, J.P. (2003). Family communication standards: What counts as excellent family communication and how are such standards associated with family satisfaction? Human Communication Research, 29, 5-40.

Caughlin, J.P. & Golish, T.D. (2002). An analysis of the association between topic avoidance and dissatisfaction: Comparing perceptual and interpersonal explanations. Communication Monographs, 69, 275-295.

Caughlin, J.P. (2002). The demand/withdraw pattern of communication as a predictor of marital satisfaction over time: Unresolved issues and future directions. Human Communication Research, 28, 49-85.