This paper reviews the research literature in the area of family communication and reports on what is known about communicaton in the homes of emotionally disturbed children. It then reviews and summarizes the patterns of communication cited in the literature that seem unique to such homes, including extreme emotional distance between parents, a domineering mother, incongruent communication, disruption of communication, disqualification of communication, lack of decision making, lack of family boundaries, and reciprocal relationships. (FL)