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Does Adolescent Digital Technology Use Detract from the Parent-Adolescent Relationship?
Michaeline Jensen1, Madeleine J George2, Michael A Russell3
1University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Summary
Increased social media use in adolescents correlates with family chaos and parental conflict. However, daily digital technology use did not significantly reduce time spent with family or negatively impact parent-adolescent interactions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Media Studies
Background:
- Adolescent digital technology use is prevalent.
- Concerns exist regarding its impact on family relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between adolescent digital technology use and parent-adolescent relationships.
- To examine if higher social networking site engagement relates to family conflict.
Main Methods:
- Population-representative survey of 2,104 adolescents (mean age 12.4).
- 14-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) via mobile phone for a subsample (N=388).
Main Results:
- Higher social networking site engagement linked to increased family chaos and reported problems with parents.
- Daily digital technology use showed little evidence of reducing time with close others or negatively affecting parent-adolescent interactions.
Conclusions:
- While social media engagement may correlate with family challenges, daily technology use does not consistently detract from adolescent-family interactions.
- Findings suggest a nuanced relationship between adolescent digital habits and family dynamics.
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