The impact of emerging computer technology on family functioning: An exploratory study

This study employed a combined quantitative and qualitative methodology to investigate the impact of computer use in the family context. Family systems and family development theory provided the framework to examine the relationship between family computer use, functional use of the computer, computer location in the home, family stage of development, and family processes of adaptability and cohesion as measured by FACES III. Perceptions about activities displaced by computer use and how time spent on the computer affects family relationships and household functioning were explored. Data were collected from 97 volunteers recruited online who completed a web-based survey.; Statistical analyses revealed several significant findings that suggest a potential relationship between family computer use patterns and cohesion or adaptability as well as between the family stage of development and the functional use of the computer. No relationship was found between family processes, the primary functional use of the computer, and computer location. Neither computer use nor time spent online were related to the family stage of development. During qualitative analyses numerous themes emerged. Solitary or minimal interaction activities that duplicated a computer function would replace time family members currently spend in computer use. Respondents said the computer affected family relationships through its impact on family connections and the information brought into the family system. The computer changed how the family operated by improving efficiency and modifying leisure and communication patterns. When qualitative data were organized according to respondent scores on FACES III, additional themes emerged. Participants in the disengaged, rigid, and extreme categories were more likely to view the computer as having a negative impact on the family, discuss the need to negotiate rules surrounding the computer and use emphatic language in responses.; The exploratory study demonstrated the usefulness of a family theoretical approach to research regarding the impact of the computer in the family context and the contribution that family scientists can make to the discourse surrounding emerging computer technology. Several potential areas for further study are suggested.