Parent-adolescent communication in a digital world: A 100-day diary study

Loes H C Janssen; Ine Beyens; Nadia A J D Bij de Vaate; Amber van der Wal; Patti M Valkenburg; Loes Keijsers

doi:10.1111/cdev.14203

Parent-adolescent communication in a digital world: A 100-day diary study

Loes H C Janssen^*
, Ine Beyens
, Nadia A J D Bij de Vaate
, Amber van der Wal
, Patti M Valkenburg
, Loes Keijsers

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Digital technology enables parents and adolescents to communicate anywhere and anytime. Knowledge of parent-adolescent online communication, however, is mainly based on cross-sectional studies. In this preregistered 100-day diary study, 479 adolescents (Mage = 15.98, 54.9% girls; 96.9% Dutch) reported daily if they had communicated with their parents online, how long (i.e., duration), and what they discussed (i.e., topics). Parent-adolescent online communication took place on 43% of days, for an average of 20 min a day, and predominantly concerned micro-coordination. Five profiles of parent-adolescent online communication were identified, with most adolescents (55.4%) communicating relatively infrequently and briefly. Boys and younger adolescents communicated longer than girls and older adolescents. Although parent-adolescent online contact is possible all day, very few adolescents do so.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	736-751
Number of pages	16
Journal	Child Development
Volume	96
Issue number	2
Early online date	22 Nov 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14203
Publication status	Published - Mar 2025
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Child Development published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Research in Child Development.

Funding

We are grateful for the effort and time devoted by the participating adolescents. We would like to thank Tim Verbeij and Teun Siebers for their contribution to the data collection of this study. This preregistered study was funded by an NWO Spinoza Prize awarded to Patti M. Valkenburg by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Additional funding was received from a VIDI grant (NWO VIDI Grant 452.17.011) awarded to Loes Keijsers by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The research was further supported by a grant from the European Research Council (ERC; 101043536) awarded to Loes Keijsers.

Funders	Funder number
Tim Verbeij and Teun Siebers
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek	452.17.011
European Research Council	101043536

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10.1111/cdev.14203Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Parent-adolescent communication in a digital world: A 100-day diary study",

abstract = "Digital technology enables parents and adolescents to communicate anywhere and anytime. Knowledge of parent-adolescent online communication, however, is mainly based on cross-sectional studies. In this preregistered 100-day diary study, 479 adolescents (Mage = 15.98, 54.9\% girls; 96.9\% Dutch) reported daily if they had communicated with their parents online, how long (i.e., duration), and what they discussed (i.e., topics). Parent-adolescent online communication took place on 43\% of days, for an average of 20 min a day, and predominantly concerned micro-coordination. Five profiles of parent-adolescent online communication were identified, with most adolescents (55.4\%) communicating relatively infrequently and briefly. Boys and younger adolescents communicated longer than girls and older adolescents. Although parent-adolescent online contact is possible all day, very few adolescents do so.",

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AU - Janssen, Loes H C

AU - Beyens, Ine

AU - Bij de Vaate, Nadia A J D

AU - van der Wal, Amber

AU - Valkenburg, Patti M

AU - Keijsers, Loes

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Parent-adolescent communication in a digital world: A 100-day diary study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

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