Communication in Intercultural Marriages: Managing Cultural Differences and Conflicts

This study examined communication in intercultural marriages. A qualitative approach using in-depth interviews with 18 individuals in nine marriages made up of one Caucasian American and one Asian spouse was employed in order to examine their perceptions of communication effectiveness, the communication competence they developed to address cultural differences, and how they manage conflicts. Findings show that intercultural couples’ communication is primarily influenced by personal growth, language fluency, and the differences between high-context and low-context communication styles. Additionally, self-awareness, open-mindedness, mindfulness, showing respect, self-disclosure, and face-support emerged as the most important areas of communication competence developed and used by the couples. Essential strategies for addressing conflicts constructively include changing perspectives and using open communication. Implications for intercultural communication competence theory are discussed and a framework for intercultural marriage communication is proposed.