communication patterns (Koerner and Fitzpatrick, 1997). Each pattern describes a certain type of families. These four patterns or four family types are produced by a combination of low or high situations on a 2-dimentional continuum of conversation orientation and conformity orientation and they include consensual families, pluralistic
families, protective families, and lessez-faire families. Consensual families obtain high scores on both dimensions of conversation orientation and conformity orientation. They try to put a great emphasis on agreeing with each other,
even when they are encouraging one another to express different ideas. Pluralistic families gain a high score in conversation orientation, but a low score in conformity orientation. Among the features of these families, one can refer to open, free and comfortable communications and being emotionally protective.