Communication issues may potentially develop in any circumstance or social relationship. It can be easy for individuals to misunderstand or misinterpret others, and these misunderstandings may lead to arguments or tension in personal, platonic, or professional relationships. In some instances, conflicts may arise, and these conflicts can make communication even more challenging.
It may be helpful to have the support of a therapist or other mental health professional when exploring the reasons why communication issues occur or while working through any distress or difficulty that occurs as a result of frequent communication issues.
A number of factors may contribute to communication challenges between two or more parties. Differences of opinion may lead to disagreements between friends or coworkers, and this can contribute to communication difficulties. Those who seek counseling for relationship concerns may frequently cite communication issues as a reason for seeking treatment.
In some cases, difficulties may develop as a result of different cultural background or personal experiences. Because communication styles often differ vastly between cultures, a person may be able to say the same thing to two individuals who belong to different cultures and be interpreted in two completely different ways. Individuals communicating in their native language to non-native speakers and individuals communicating in a language other than their native language may also find it difficult to understand or interpret certain subtleties or nuances that native speakers of the language may readily pick up on. This type of issue may lead to confusion or conflict or in some cases be interpreted as rudeness, when none was intended.
Further, because of cultural differences, an issue that is considered to be a communication problem by an individual from one culture may not be found problematic in the least by an individual from another culture.
Poor physical or mental health may also lead to a breakdown in communication between a person seeking treatment and the person providing care. A person experiencing illness or distress may grow tired of communicating issues to one health care professional after another or find it difficult to describe a particular issue, and this can become a barrier to treatment. Situations that might contribute to communication issues include:
Communication challenges are often a factor in relationship troubles. A couple may recognize when areas of concern are present in the relationship, but they may not attribute these difficulties to poor communication. Some couples talk frequently about day-to-day issues and activities and consider themselves to be good communicators, when they may in fact be neglecting discussion of issues that have a significant impact on the relationship. Couples who take communication issues into consideration and work to improve or increase communication may find that this to be helpful in the resolution of conflict.
Emotional and psychological issues that stem from early childhood relationships, previous romantic relationships, or other areas of life may also affect romantic relationships, as these issues may cause emotional distress that is difficult to communicate or discuss with a partner. When one partner in a relationship experiences difficulty but does not communicate this to the other partner, that individual may feel hurt or shut out, which can have a negative impact on the relationship. Effective communication between partners is typically considered a necessary aspect of a healthy relationship, and when communication problems occur in relationships and between family members, therapy can help address the issues and explore any underlying causes.
An individual who wishes to improve day-to-day communication skills might find it helpful to:
Even if two parties share the same language, differences in culture may hinder effective communication. One's culture may often have an impact on the way one thinks and feels about the world, and two individuals who speak the same language but have different cultural backgrounds may come away from a conversation with entirely different views of the exchange. When an individual is not a native speaker of the language an exchange takes place in, misunderstandings or errors in translation may further impede good communication.
Culture can impact meaningful communication in three primary ways:
When those involved in cross-cultural communications are not aware of these potential constraints and the effects they may have, misunderstandings can easily occur, and conflict may be the result.
The four major communication styles—assertive, aggressive, passive, and passive-aggressive—are each characterized by specific language, behaviors, and effects. Being able to identify the major communication styles is likely be helpful in the process of recognizing the styles used in one's personal relationships, which can help an individual become better able to make the adjustments needed to faciliate the growth and development of all relationships.
Communication can take place via verbal (written or spoken words) or nonverbal (facial expressions, gestures, body language, posture, eye movements, and so on) means. Though the differences between verbal and nonverbal communication have been known for many years, rigorous research on both forms of communication only began in the 1960s. Initially, researchers viewed verbal and nonverbal behaviors as separate channels that are independently coded and capable of transmitting different types of messages with different meanings and functions. But while it is true that verbal and nonverbal messages may be different or even conflicting, researchers today posit that these messages are related and,when studied together, provide a more holistic understanding of social interaction.
One major contributor to the modern-day comprehension of verbal and nonverbal communication is Albert Mehrabian. In his research, Mehrabian discovered that a listener may adjust the relative importance assigned to verbal and nonverbal behaviors depending on a given situation. One's date might say, "I really like you" but avoid eye contact, seem distracted, or frown often, which may lead one to question the truthfulness of the statement.
Mehrabian’s studies show:
Nonviolent communication assumes that all people are inherently compassionate, and that violent tendencies (whether verbal or physical) are learned behaviors. The approach also posits that all humans share the same basic needs and that while these needs are not conflicting, conflicts arise when strategies to meet basic needs clash. This type of communication aims to teach people to use language that is objective and report what they observe, feel, and need before making a request.
Reflective statements are often used by therapists to let people in therapy know that they are being understood and to help them clarify their own thoughts and words. A reflective statement tells the person in therapy what the therapist believes that person has said and asks the person to confirm or correct that understanding. Using such statements may help to prevent major misunderstandings in therapy or in other areas of life.
There are many therapeutic options available for individuals experiencing communication issues. Depending on one's specific situation, those in need of professional support may find benefit from family therapy, couples counseling, or individual therapy. For example, people who experience communication difficulties as a result of repressed childhood trauma may be able to uncover and resolve unconscious thoughts and emotions in therapy and develop their communication skills as a result. Intimate partners who wish to communicate more effectively in their relationship may choose to explore Imago Relationship Therapy.
A trained therapist can help individuals examine communication strategies to determine whether one's communication style adequately conveys one's thoughts, needs, and goals. In therapy, individuals who find themselves often engaged in misunderstandings can explore what causes them to misinterpret the viewpoints of others or inaccurately convey their own ideas. Therapy can facilitate the improvement of interpersonal and intergroup skills by helping individuals to improve the quality, nature, and frequency of their communications.
Some treatment strategies that may be used to address communication issues include:
References: