Parent-Adolescent Digital Communication and Relationship Quality in the United States: A Systematic Review.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the growing centrality of digital communication in family life, little is known about its role in parent-adolescent relationships, especially when parents and adolescents share a household. This review was designed to synthesize U.S.-based research on digital communication and relationship quality in these families across theoretical foundations, conceptualizations, measurements, and associations.
Methods
We conducted systematic searches following the PRISMA guidelines in four online databases: Academic Search Premier, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Based on the predefined eligibility criteria, the search yielded 10 studies. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed.
Results
Across studies spanning multiple disciplines, digital communication was most often conceptualized and measured as frequency of use across different modalities (text messaging, voice calls, social media), while parent-adolescent relationship quality was captured along cognitive and emotional dimensions. Findings on the association between digital communication and relationship quality were inconsistent. This inconsistency appeared to stem in part from how the constructs were defined and measured, and from the use of frequency-based approaches that aggregated communication serving different purposes.
Conclusion
This review demonstrates that digital communication plays a distinct supplementary role in parent-adolescent relationships, bridging physical and emotional distance rather than replacing face-to-face interaction. Its influence is shaped less by how often communication occurs and more by its purpose, the modalities used, adolescents' device ownership, and the gender composition of the dyad. By synthesizing how parent-adolescent digital communication has been theorized, conceptualized, and measured, this review provides a foundation for future research on digitally mediated family life.