The Emotional Experience of Parent-Adolescent Conflict When Discussing Digital Topics: An Exploratory Emergent Variable Analysis
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Authors
Faulkner, Katie
Date
2024-09-24
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Digital technologies , Parent-adolescent conflict , Emotional experiences , Digital device attachment , Emergent variables , Mother-adolescent interactions
Alternative Title
Abstract
With the rise of digital technologies in everyday life, parent-adolescent conflict has expanded to include discussions about digital topics. This study investigated the emotional experiences of adolescents and their mothers during conflict discussions about digital issues (e.g., screentime, social media, videogaming) relative to non-digital issues (e.g., fighting with siblings, bad attitude, schoolwork), as well as the potential moderating effect of attachment to digital devices. A total of 164 mother-adolescent dyads with youth aged 12-13 years (43.3% girls; 78.1% White) visited the lab to complete a series of questionnaires and engaged in a conflict discussion task about their two most intense sources of conflict. Real-time behavioural codes measured Digital Discourse as the proportion of time spent discussing digital versus non-digital issues. Emotional Experience was constructed as an emergent variable based on Physiological Arousal, Observed Expressivity, and Self-Reported Negative Emotional Appraisal. Results showed that Emotional Experiences during parent-adolescent conflict discussions for adolescents did not vary significantly in response to the proportion of time spent discussing digital issues. For mothers, more Digital Discourse was associated with a more neutral Emotional Experience, characterized by less positive Observed Expressivity, but also less Self-Reported Negative Emotional Appraisal. There were no moderating effects based on attachment to one’s digital devices. However, gender-specific models revealed exceptions for boys; more Digital Discourse was linked to a less positive Emotional Experience during conflict discussions, characterized by less positive Observed Expressivity, and boys who were more attached to their digital devices reported feeling more negatively during the conflict discussion, regardless of the proportion of time spent discussing digital or non-digital issues. These descriptive findings provide a robust foundation for future studies, guiding researchers in understanding how digital issues may compare to the broader conflict literature while highlighting the unique aspects of digital technologies.
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International