Family Environment and Social Skill 4
in the relationship (e.g., Hammer et al., 1996). In another investigation of dating couples, 41%
reported not using a condom during vaginal intercourse for reasons of monogamy, trust, and
beliefs about the level of risk (Seal & Palmer-Seal, 1996). Metts and Fitzpatrick (1992) pointed
out that many sexually active individuals believe they engage in "safer" sex due to the fact that
they have sexual relations with individuals they conclude are "safe." This evidence suggests that
relational issues might be at the heart of “safer” sex issues for individuals in dating relationships.
This paper explores family environment factors, self-perceived social skill during a
communication task, and condom usage. First, it is important to consider family environment
factors that may be related to college aged dating couples' social skill. Social skill may predict
whether individuals have the ability and motivation necessary to talk about such intimate topics
with a dating partner. The family environment, certainly seems a likely candidate for one avenue
in which college students have developed their social skill.
Second, this paper seeks to address whether family environment is related to college
students' reported condom usage. While it seems possible that family environment may be
related to condom usage, it is also possible that sex differences may exist, as condom usage is
primarily a male behavior. These issues will be explored from a systems theory perspective and
framework.
Theoretical foundation
Family systems theory
Family systems theory rests upon the foundational assumptions of holism and emergent
properties (Whitchurch & Constantine, 1993). Holism is the idea that to understand the system
all of the pieces, not just select components, must be considered. Emergent properties refers to
the idea that qualities of the systems evolve out of the interaction of the unique component parts.
Convention