Parental Technoference and Adolescents’ Mental Health and Deviant Behaviour: A Scoping Review

Purpose: The term ‘technoference’ refers to habitual interferences and disruptions within interpersonal relationships or time spent together due to use of technological devices. Evidence suggests that parental technoference may predispose children’s internalising and externalising behaviours. The aim of this scoping review is to summarise existing literature on the impact of parental technoference on the mental health and deviant behaviours of young people. Methods: A scoping review of literature was undertaken across six databases (APA PsycINFO, MEDLINE, ASSIA, ERIC, Social Sciences Premium Collection, SciTech Premium). Searches included articles examining the impact of parental technoference on adolescent mental health and deviant behaviours. All included studies demonstrated empirical findings. Results: Searches retrieved 382 articles, of which 13 articles met the eligibility criteria. A narrative approach was applied to synthesise the eligible findings. Across all studies, adolescent perceptions of parental technoference were negatively associated to adolescent mental health and were positively related to adolescent deviant behaviours. Parental cohesion and psychological constructs were identified as significant mediating factors. Conclusion: Findings suggest that parents should be aware of the environment in which they use electronic devices as their use can, directly and indirectly, influence adolescent mental health and behaviours. Further research into the impact of parental technoference could inform evidence-informed guidelines for parental management of electronic devices.