Emerging adults’ financial conversations with parents as mediators of family communication patterns and financial Independence

ABSTRACT This study examined emerging adults’ financial conversations with parents as mediators of family communication patterns (FCPs) (i.e., family conversation and conformity orientations) and emerging adults’ financial independence (i.e., financial autonomy and self-efficacy). Participants included 202 emerging adults ages 18 to 25. Whereas conversation orientation positively predicted both financial self-efficacy and autonomy, conformity orientation positively predicted only financial autonomy. Indirect associations emerged between both FCP orientations and financial autonomy via the frequency of financial conversations with mother, whereas indirect associations between both FCP orientations and financial self-efficacy emerged via financial conversations with father. The findings extend FCP theory by illuminating distinct explanatory pathways from the family communication environment to financial socialization in emerging adults.