Technoference: longitudinal associations between parent technology use, parenting stress, and child behavior problems
Open accessAbstract
Background and objectives Heavy parent digital technology use has been associated with suboptimal parent-child interactions and internalizing/externalizing child behavior, but directionality of associations is unclear. This study aims to investigate longitudinal bidirectional associations between parent technology use and child behavior, and understand whether this is mediated by parenting stress.Methods Participants included 183 couples with a young child (age 0-5 years, mean = 3.0 years) who completed surveys at baseline, 1, 3 and 6 months. Cross-lagged structural equation models of parent technology interference during parent-child activities, parenting stress, and child externalizing and internalizing behavior were tested.Results Controlling for potential confounders, we found that across all time points (1) greater child externalizing behavior predicted greater technology interference, via greater parenting stress; and (2) technology interference often predicted greater externalizing behavior. Although associations between child internalizing behavior and technology interference were relatively weaker, bidirectional associations were more consistent for child withdrawal behaviors.Conclusions Our results suggest bidirectional dynamics in which (a) parents, stressed by their child's difficult behavior, may then withdraw from parent-child interactions with technology and (b) this higher technology use during parent-child interactions may influence externalizing and withdrawal behaviors over time.
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The inverse relationship is also true, creating a feedback cycle.
“The inverse relationship is also true,47,48 creating a feedback cycle (Figure 2).45”
From Digital Ecosystems, Children, and Adolescents: Technical Report (2026) · cites this paper as [45]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredLongitudinal correlations suggest that greater caregiver disruptions from mobile devices is associated with greater child externalizing symptoms and greater challenges with caregiver-child relationships.
“Longitudinal correlations suggest that greater caregiver disruptions from mobile devices is associated with greater child externalizing symptoms (eg, aggression, hyperactivity)45,47 and greater challenges with caregiver-child relationships.30”
From Digital Ecosystems, Children, and Adolescents: Technical Report (2026) · cites this paper as [45]
Greater mobile device use may then be associated with more disrupted parent-child interactions.
“In turn, greater mobile device use may then be associated with more disrupted parent-child interactions.24,45,47,53”
From Digital Ecosystems, Children, and Adolescents: Technical Report (2026) · cites this paper as [45]
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References 39 · Cited by 268
Research works printed but not linked: 2
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- Authors
- McDaniel, B. T., & Radesky, J. S.
- Affiliations
- Illinois State University (US)
- University of Michigan (US)
- Corresponding author
- McDaniel, Brandon T.
- Venue
- Pediatric Research
- Published
- 2018-06-13
- Volume
- 84
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 210-218
- ISSN
- 0031-3998 (ISSN-L)
- 1530-0447
- PMC
- PMC6185759
- OpenAlex
- W2805617641
- Cited by
- 268
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 40 · 2025: 49 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 50.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Pediatric Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Pennsylvania State University
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (T32DA017629)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (F31HD084118)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Keywords
- technoference, parental stress, child behavior problems, externalizing problems, internalizing problems, parent-child interaction, bidirectional relationship, young children
- MeSH terms
- Problem Behavior, Adult, Attention, Child Behavior, Child, Preschool, Family, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Parent-Child Relations, Parents, Stress, Psychological, Parenting, Cell Phone, Young Adult
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