Technology interference in the parenting of young children: Implications for mothers’ perceptions of coparenting

Abstract Technology devices and their characteristics have become more pervasive and enticing. The use of these new devices is common, and interruptions due to these devices are likely. This study examines the frequency of technology interference in (a) coparenting relationships—the relationship between parents as they parent their children together—during early infancy/childhood and in (b) various parenting domains (bedtime, mealtime, etc.), as well as (c) associations between technology interference and perceptions of coparenting quality as reported by 203 married/cohabiting mothers. Many mothers perceived that technology interrupted coparenting interactions on occasion, especially during unstructured parenting such as playtime. Mothers rating more interference reported worse coparenting, relationship satisfaction, and depressive symptoms. Technology interference predicted coparenting even after controlling for relationship satisfaction and depressive symptoms. Technology interference likely decreases coordination between parents, leaving some mothers feeling frustrated. Parents may be advised to critically examine and potentially regulate technology use during family interactions.

[1]  G. Margolin,et al.  Coparenting: a link between marital conflict and parenting in two-parent families. , 2001, Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association.

[2]  P. Trairatvorakul,et al.  Patterns of Attachment: A Psychological Study of the Strange Situation , 2016 .

[3]  M. Pinquart,et al.  The Association Between Coparenting and Child Adjustment: A Meta-Analysis , 2010 .

[4]  Brandon T. McDaniel,et al.  Coparenting quality during the first three months after birth: the role of infant sleep quality. , 2012, Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association.

[5]  Brandon T. McDaniel,et al.  Technoference: Parent Distraction With Technology and Associations With Child Behavior Problems. , 2018, Child development.

[6]  Catherine Middleton,et al.  Illusions of Balance and Control in an Always-on Environment: a Case Study of BlackBerry Users , 2007 .

[7]  S. Coyne,et al.  "I Luv U :)!": A Descriptive Study of the Media Use of Individuals in Romantic Relationships , 2011 .

[8]  Brandon T. McDaniel,et al.  New Mothers and Media Use: Associations Between Blogging, Social Networking, and Maternal Well-Being , 2012, Maternal and Child Health Journal.

[9]  P. Rossouw,et al.  The impact of technology use on couple relationships: a neuropsychological perspective. , 2014 .

[10]  Brandon T. McDaniel,et al.  “Technoference”: The interference of technology in couple relationships and implications for women’s personal and relational well-being. , 2016 .

[11]  Jenny S. Radesky,et al.  Patterns of Mobile Device Use by Caregivers and Children During Meals in Fast Food Restaurants , 2014, Pediatrics.

[12]  Robert W. Norton,et al.  Measuring marital quality, A critical look at the dependent variable , 1983 .

[13]  David H. Barlow,et al.  Depression in Marriage: A Model for Etiology and Treatment , 1990 .

[14]  Patrick T. Davies,et al.  Marital conflict and child adjustment: an emotional security hypothesis. , 1994, Psychological bulletin.

[15]  Meredith E. David,et al.  My life has become a major distraction from my cell phone: Partner phubbing and relationship satisfaction among romantic partners , 2016, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[16]  Noelle Chesley.  Blurring Boundaries? Linking Technology Use, Spillover, Individual Distress, and Family Satisfaction , 2005 .

[17]  L. Radloff.  The CES-D Scale , 1977 .

[18]  Charlotte P. Lee,et al.  Texting while Parenting: How Adults Use Mobile Phones while Caring for Children at the Playground , 2015, CHI.

[19]  S. Mangelsdorf,et al.  Associations between coparenting and marital behavior from infancy to the preschool years. , 2004, Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association.

[20]  J. Gottman,et al.  Marital processes predictive of later dissolution: behavior, physiology, and health. , 1992 .

[21]  Mark Aakhus,et al.  Perpetual Contact: Mobile Communication, Private Talk, Public Performance , 2002 .

[22]  Xavier Carbonell,et al.  The Cell Phone in the Twenty-First Century: A Risk for Addiction or a Necessary Tool? , 2013 .

[23]  J. Gottman,et al.  Marital processes predictive of later dissolution: behavior, physiology, and health. , 1992, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[24]  Lynne Kelly,et al.  The Effects of Cell Phone Usage Rules on Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships , 2012 .

[25]  Heather M. Helms,et al.  Marital Quality and Personal Well‐Being: A Meta‐Analysis , 2007 .

[26]  Amy C. Hartl,et al.  Young Adults' Experience of Mobile Device Disruption of Proximate Relationships , 2015 .

[27]  K. Ginsburg.  The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds , 2007, Pediatrics.

[28]  Brian J. Hill,et al.  The Contribution of Couple Leisure Involvement, Leisure Time, and Leisure Satisfaction to Marital Satisfaction , 2006 .

[29]  Sarah M. Coyne,et al.  “Media Time = Family Time” , 2014 .

[30]  Antti Oulasvirta,et al.  Habits make smartphone use more pervasive , 2011, Personal and Ubiquitous Computing.

[31]  Rachel A. Elphinston,et al.  Time to Face It! Facebook Intrusion and the Implications for Romantic Jealousy and Relationship Satisfaction , 2011, Cyberpsychology Behav. Soc. Netw..

[32]  Lauren M. Papp,et al.  Pathways Among Marital Distress, Parental Symptomatology, and Child Adjustment , 2004 .

[33]  Sirkka L. Jarvenpaa,et al.  Managing the Paradoxes of Mobile Technology , 2005, Inf. Syst. Manag..

[34]  Mark E. Feinberg,et al.  The Internal Structure and Ecological Context of Coparenting: A Framework for Research and Intervention , 2003, Parenting, science and practice.

[35]  O. Erel,et al.  Interrelatedness of marital relations and parent-child relations: a meta-analytic review. , 1995, Psychological bulletin.

[36]  JoAnne Yates,et al.  CrackBerries: The Social Implications of Ubiquitous Wireless E-Mail Devices , 2005, Designing Ubiquitous Information Environments.

[37]  Wendy L. Cukier,et al.  Is mobile email functional or dysfunctional? Two perspectives on mobile email usage , 2006, Eur. J. Inf. Syst..

[38]  Mark E. Feinberg,et al.  A Multi-Domain Self-Report Measure of Coparenting , 2012, Parenting, science and practice.

[39]  M. Hagberg,et al.  Mobile phone use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression among young adults - a prospective cohort study , 2011, BMC public health.

[40]  Laura M. Padilla‐Walker,et al.  Getting a High-Speed Family Connection: Associations between Family Media Use and Family Connection. , 2012 .

[41]  M. Harrison,et al.  2 TXT or not 2 TXT: College students’ reports of when text messaging is social breach , 2015 .

[42]  Tracy L. M. Kennedy,et al.  The Networked Household , 2007 .

[43]  James G. Phillips,et al.  Psychological Predictors of Problem Mobile Phone Use , 2005, Cyberpsychology Behav. Soc. Netw..

[44]  Robert E. Pinsker,et al.  Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. , 2012 .