Technoference: Parent Distraction With Technology and Associations With Child Behavior Problems

Abstract Heavy parent digital technology use has been associated with suboptimal parent–child interactions, but no studies examine associations with child behavior. This study investigates whether parental problematic technology use is associated with technology-based interruptions in parent–child interactions, termed “technoference,” and whether technoference is associated with child behavior problems. Parent reports from 170 U.S. families (child Mage = 3.04 years) and actor–partner interdependence modeling showed that maternal and paternal problematic digital technology use predicted greater technoference in mother–child and father–child interactions; then, maternal technoference predicted both mothers’ and…

• PS
  Pennsylvania State University
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Award: T32DA017629
• NI
  National Institute on Drug Abuse

  Award: T32DA017629
• NI
  National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

  Award: F31HD084118