Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
07:01
Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children
Published on: March 1, 2019
8.6K
Longitudinal Associations Between Adolescents' Smartphone Distraction Management During Family Time and Their
Eunyoung Park1, Xiaoran Sun1, Kimberly M Molaib2
1Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, USA.
Educational Psychology
|March 16, 2026
Summary
Adolescents who manage smartphone distractions during family time report better relationships with parents. Promoting smartphone distraction management (SDM) may improve adolescent well-being and family functioning.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
- Media Psychology
Background:
- Smartphone distractions significantly impact adolescent lives.
- Adolescent management of smartphone distractions, especially within family contexts, is understudied.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for adolescent well-being and family relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the associations between adolescent smartphone distraction management (SDM) during family time and relationship quality with parents.
- To investigate both concurrent and time-lagged effects over a six-month period.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 152 adolescents (mean age 15.5 years).
- Bi-weekly self-reports on SDM frequency during family time.
- Monthly self-reports on relationship quality with mothers and fathers over six months.
- Multilevel modeling analysis.
Main Results:
- Adolescents frequently engaged in SDM during family time (41.5% to 80.3% occurrence).
- Positive concurrent associations were found between SDM and relationship quality with both mothers and fathers.
- No significant time-lagged associations were observed between SDM and relationship quality.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent smartphone distraction management is positively associated with concurrent family relationship quality.
- SDM appears to be a malleable factor influencing family functioning.
- Interventions promoting SDM could enhance adolescent well-being and family dynamics.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
679
Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
679
01:28Relationship with Parents: Attachment
314
Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
314
03:34Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
50.1K
Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.
50.1K
01:28Hazan and Shaver's Attachment Styles
666
Attachment theory, developed initially to explain infant–caregiver bonds, has been extended to illuminate patterns of intimacy in adult romantic relationships. Psychologists Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver proposed that the attachment styles observed in infancy form a framework for how individuals approach emotional closeness and conflict in adulthood. These attachment styles—secure, avoidant, and anxious—are linked to enduring patterns of behavior and emotional regulation in...
666
01:30Oppositional Defiant Disorder
1.2K
A persistent pattern of angry or irritable mood, defiant behavior, or vindictiveness characterizes Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Symptoms must occur over at least six months, involve interactions with individuals beyond siblings, and meet specific diagnostic criteria to be clinically significant. The disorder affects emotional regulation, social interactions, and behavior, often manifesting early in life and influencing long-term development and functioning.
Diagnostic Criteria and...
Diagnostic Criteria and...
1.2K
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
5.9K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
5.9K