Emerging Adults’ Use of Communication Technology with Family Members: A Systematic Review

Hessel, Heather; Dworkin, Jodi

doi:10.1007/s40894-017-0064-1

Cited by 12 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…However, of the 14 articles reviewed, only five had a scope that included nonparental relationships, primarily siblings and grandparents. Similar results were found in a review of the literature on emerging adults' use of communication technologies with family members (Hessel & Dworkin, 2018). Of the 15 articles examined, two focused on siblings, two on broader family–youth relationships, and only one focused on communication with grandparents.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…However, as children age and have children of their own, parents may continue to serve as facilitators, but youth also begin to reach out and connect directly with extended family (Stephenson‐Abetz & Holman, 2012). For example, teenage cousins follow each other on Instagram or send each other Snaps; high school or college students FaceTime with their grandparents directly (Hessel & Dworkin, 2018). The development of direct access may be particularly true in cultures that emphasize the importance of family obligation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Young adults' perceptions of technology use with extended family

Hessel

LeBouef

2023

Family Relations

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Objective The current study explores young adults' perceptions of the use and impact of technology on their relationships with extended family. Background Young adults are avid technology users and communicate frequently with parents and siblings using a variety of online tools. There is limited research examining young adults' use of technology to communicate with extended family members, despite studies suggesting that these relationships serve a unique and valuable role in their lives. Method Qualitative data were collected from 529 U.S. 18–29‐year‐old young adults (N = 529; M age = 25.91 years, SD = 2.53) utilizing an online survey. Results An inductive content analysis revealed five primary themes: Technology facilitates giving and receiving support, technology enables family bonding, technology allows young adults to mediate distance and closeness, technology environments as places of family discovery, and paradoxes exist in technology use with extended family. Conclusion Young adults connect with extended family online in beneficial and sometimes contradictory ways; technology serves as a mechanism for modulating levels of involvement with family, enabling young adults to preserve or grow autonomy while also providing opportunities for interaction in their everyday lives. Implications Family practitioners and educators working with young adults can assist them in tapping into extended family as a resource using a range of communication channels.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young adults' perceptions of technology use with extended family

Hessel

LeBouef

2023

Family Relations

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“…In fact, a majority of studies assessing sibling communication strategies focus on the content of conversations as opposed to the mode, quality, and/or frequency of conversation (Myers, Byrnes, Frisby, & Mansson, 2011; Myers & Goodboy, 2010). Further, research predominately used quantitative methods to attempt to understand this unique population (Hessel & Dworkin, 2017); thus, this study used a qualitative design to better understand the intricacies of the sibling relationship as well as the communication processes that occur during this transitional period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”: A qualitative examination of sibling relationships during emerging adulthood

Hamwey

Rolan

Jensen

et al. 2018

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

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The present study explored the unique experiences of siblings during emerging adulthood. Using a qualitative design, this study sought to better understand sibling relationship dynamics (e.g., closeness and negativity), communication strategies (e.g., frequency, quality, and form), and the implications of siblings’ proximity with one another. Importantly, the period of emerging adulthood provides a unique context in which these experiences might be especially salient. We posited the following research questions: What do sibling relationships look like during emerging adulthood? What does communication look like between siblings during emerging adulthood and how does it impact their relationship? and What implications does proximity have for the sibling relationship? To answer these questions, nine different qualitative focus groups (N = 45 participants) were conducted across two different university settings. Results suggested that siblings remained important in the lives of emerging adults, despite a lack of physical proximity and less frequent communication. Participants indicated that although communication was less frequent, the content of the discussions was often more meaningful. When sharing in-person conversations, participants described the relationships to have picked up where they had left off, with no time passing in between. Further, sibling relationship quality appeared to improve with participants, indicating they were happier with their sibling and felt more like equals and had a better understanding of one another. These findings help to fill a gap in knowledge about sibling relationships during emerging adulthood and elucidate our understanding of how these relationships are maintained and developed during this period of transition.

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“…Fingerman and colleagues concluded in their reviews of the literature that contact between young adults and their parents has increased over the past 25 years, likely facilitated by the widespread use of technology and changing economic and social conditions (e.g., Fingerman et al, 2013aFingerman et al, , 2020Fingerman, 2017). Synchronous communication methods, communication technologies, multiple communication channels, and the ability to hear a family member's voice have all been found to have a positive impact on relational quality, intimacy, affection, and satisfaction (Lindell et al, 2015;Hessel and Dworkin, 2018). Phone and online contact methods enable families to maintain togetherness even when geographical distance increases, such as due to young people attending college or moving out of the family home (Marchant and O'Donohoe, 2014;Bacigalupe and Brauninger, 2017;Yu et al, 2017;Yang, 2018).…”

Section: Family Communicationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Scoping Review of the Factors That Influence Families’ Ability or Capacity to Provide Young People With Emotional Support Over the Transition to Adulthood

Stapley

Vainieri

et al. 2021

Front. Psychol.

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The transition to adulthood is typically marked by changes in relationships with family members, peers, and romantic partners. Despite this, the family often maintains a prominent role in young adults’ lives. A scoping review was conducted to identify the factors that influence families’ ability or capacity to provide young people with emotional support during the transition to adulthood, and to understand the gaps in this research area. Title and abstract searches were conducted from January 2007 to February 2021 in multiple databases, including PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Sociological Abstracts. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were also conducted with stakeholders (professionals from relevant sectors/working within this field). In total, 277 articles were eligible for inclusion in the review. Following data extraction, 19 factors were identified. Factors with the most research (more than 20 articles) included: family proximity or co-residence; mental health; sex or gender differences; and family communication. Factors with less research included: societal context; young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity; social networks; and adverse life events. Gaps in the research area were also identified, including methodological issues (e.g., lack of mixed methods and longitudinal study designs), a disproportionate focus on the parent–child relationship, and a lack of contextually situated research. Our findings indicate that future research in this area could benefit from taking an intersectional, multi-method approach, with a focus on the whole family and diverse samples.

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Emerging Adults’ Use of Communication Technology with Family Members: A Systematic Review

Cited by 12 publications

References 57 publications

Young adults' perceptions of technology use with extended family

Young adults' perceptions of technology use with extended family

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”: A qualitative examination of sibling relationships during emerging adulthood

A Scoping Review of the Factors That Influence Families’ Ability or Capacity to Provide Young People With Emotional Support Over the Transition to Adulthood

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