When the Phone Enters the Family: Parent–Teen Conflict, Trust, Communication and the Digital Generation Gap
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Abstract
Mobile phone overuse among teenagers is not only an individual behaviour; it can also affect family communication and relationships. This article examines adolescent phone use in relation to communication, trust, emotional closeness, conflict, parental modelling and differences in how parents and teenagers perceive their relationship. The analysis is based on a study of 150 teenagers and 150 parents, interviews with 10 family therapists, and a six-month follow-up of 50 families. Daily arguments about phone use were reported by 67% of heavy-user families compared with 8% of light-user families. Parents gave a lower average relationship rating (51.8) than teenagers (62.4), producing a 10.6-point perception gap. The study also reported a strong negative association (r = -0.87) between recreational screen time and parent-rated relationship quality. Night-time phone use was associated with higher next-day family conflict (OR = 4.2), with sleep disruption accounting for 62% of this relationship. The findings suggest that the issue involves more than screen duration; monitoring, secrecy, inconsistent parental behaviour and emotional distance may interact with phone use to create recurring family tension. A family-focused approach involving mutually agreed boundaries, positive parental modelling, phone-free routines, alternative activities and open communication is therefore proposed.
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