Relational turbulence theory, Christian nationalism, and political talk in parent-young adult child relationships

Lavin, Olivia

Publication

Relational turbulence theory, Christian nationalism, and political talk in parent-young adult child relationships

Lavin, Olivia

Date

2022-04-29

Abstract

Differing political ideologies have been shown to create divides between people and turbulence within relationships. Using relational turbulence theory (RTT), this study aimed to explore how the political endorsement of Christian Nationalism influences the parent-child relationship. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which (dis)agreement on Christian nationalism serves as a boundary condition for RTT’s theorized associations. Participants included 452 people who completed an online questionnaire concerning their perceptions of their relationship with one of their parents. The pattern of results generally supported RTT, as uncertainty predicted valence and valence predicted turbulence. However, the association between relational uncertainty, relational turbulence, and engagement did not emerge. Results found that (dis)agreement on the endorsement of Christian nationalism moderated RTT processes that directly affected evaluations of relational turbulence. With these findings, parents and children can have a greater understanding of how political conversations and (dis)agreement potentially influences their relationships.