Disconnected by Connection: Perceived Parental Technoference, Loneliness, and Family Satisfaction among Adolescents

Abstract

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this research is to understand how parental use of technological devices interferes or interrupts their conversions with their adolescents, known as parental technoference leads to loneliness among adolescents and affects their family satisfaction.

Background: The involvement of parents is one of the most crucial components of the adolescent’s development. Due to the omnipresence of technology, there has been an increase in the parents’ use of technology as well, which presents a novel challenge to the familial relationships. The study attempts to examine the role of perceived parental technoference in the well-being and family dynamics of adolescents from adolescents’ perspective.

Methodology: Cross-sectional research design was employed in this study involving participants ranging from 14-17 years (n = 126). Standardized measures were used to asses perceived parental technoference, loneliness and family satisfaction. Pearson’s correlation and PLS-SEM for mediation analysis was used for statistical analysis.

Contribution: The research by providing empirical evidence significantly contributes to the existing body of literature by specifying how the parents use of technological devices affects adolescents’ well-being and their family dynamics in the Indian context.

Findings: High parental technoference was positively correlated with loneliness and negatively with family satisfaction. Further, loneliness was negatively correlated with satisfaction with family life. Mediation analysis revealed that loneliness partially mediated the effects of parental technoference on the family satisfaction.

Practitioner Recommendations: Interventions targeted to create awareness among the parents, and families to create awareness about how technology usage is affecting the family environment, and relationships, to reduce the negative impact of the technoference, programs aimed at mindful use of technology, technology free family time can be introduced to improve family relationships.

Researcher Recommendations: Future studies are needed to examine longitudinal outcomes of parental technoference on adolescent development, patterns of technoference differences between cultures, or effects of different digital media, or evaluation of intervention programs that can alleviate technoference.

Impact on Society: The results of the study highlight the need to create awareness among parents about the appropriate use of technology and meaningful family communication. Reducing technoference can support creation of supportive family spaces, intergenerational bonds, and promotion of healthy relational processes in a society that is increasingly becoming disconnected.

Future Research: Future researches should examine the long-term effects of parental technoference on adolescents, other adolescents’ developmental outcomes, differences in the pattern in other cultural contexts, parents’ perspectives on their usage of technology, and to establish culturally embedded interventions.