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Panel information
Panel 24. Technology, Media & Child Development

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION. Family conflict is common and can be a sign of healthy functioning when managed well. However, when poorly managed, it can create a stressful environment, particularly for adolescents. Research consistently shows that family conflict is associated with mental health challenges in adolescents, including depression, anxiety, and aggression (Fosco & Lydon-Staley, 2020; Kelly et al., 2016). High-intensity family conflict is particularly detrimental, contributing to symptoms of depression, anxiety, conduct disorder, and peer issues (Cummings et al., 2014). A fifteen-year study further suggests that high levels of parent-child conflict are linked to mental health problems that persist into adulthood (Alaie et al., 2020). This effect occurs regardless of whether adolescents are directly involved in the conflict, indicating that the overall family environment is crucial for adolescent mental health.
This study uses the ABC-X Model of Family Stress to explore the longitudinal relationship between adolescent perceptions of family conflict, technology use, and psychopathology (Rosino, 2016). According to the model, family stress (A) and its effects (X) are shaped by individual perceptions (C) and coping resources (B). Here, adolescent technology use is conceptualized as a potential coping resource. The study investigates how adolescent perceptions of family conflict (C), socializing media use (B), and internalizing psychopathology (X) interact over time.

STUDY POPULATION. Data are drawn from the Adolescent Behavioral Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (Data Release 5.1), a U.S. cohort of 11,572 adolescents initially recruited at ages 9-10. This analysis focuses on 4,369 participants who completed follow-up assessments at ages 12-14.

METHODS. Family conflict was measured using the Family Environment Scale (FES), and adolescent psychopathology was assessed using the internalizing psychopathology subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Social media and phone use were assessed through self-reported screen time. Cross-sectional data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, while longitudinal analysis employed moderated cross-lagged panel models and linear regression to examine the relationships between family conflict, social media use, and internalizing psychopathology.

RESULTS. Cross-sectional analysis showed a significant relationship between parental-reported family conflict and adolescent internalizing psychopathology. Socializing media behaviors were negatively associated with internalizing symptoms at all time points, but they did not mediate the relationship between family conflict and psychopathology. However, youth-reported perceptions of family conflict mediated this relationship at the 3-year and 4-year follow-ups (B = .03, p < .001). Longitudinal analysis indicated that earlier internalizing symptoms reduced parental reports of conflict (B = -.08, p = .03), while parental conflict later predicted youth perceptions of conflict and subsequent internalizing symptoms.

CONCLUSION. This study highlights the complex relationship between family conflict, social media use, and adolescent mental health. While socializing media use can reduce internalizing symptoms like anxiety and depression, it does not buffer the impact of family conflict. Instead, adolescents’ perceptions of conflict play a key role in shaping their psychological well-being. Interventions aiming to improve adolescent mental health should focus on addressing family conflict and adolescents' experiences of it, rather than relying solely on external coping resources like social media.

Author information

Author	Role
Kylie Woodman, University of California, Santa Barbara	Presenting author
Jane Shawcroft, University of California, Davis	Non-presenting author

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