The Association Between Electronic Device Use During Family Time and Family Well-Being: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study
BackgroundElectronic devices (eDevices) may have positive or negative influences on family communication and well-being depending on how they are used. ObjectiveWe examined eDevice use during family time and its association with the quality of family communication and well-being in Hong...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
JMIR Publications
2020-10-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | http://www.jmir.org/2020/10/e20529/ |
| _version_ | 1819293876814348288 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhao, Sheng Zhi Guo, Ningyuan Wang, Man Ping Fong, Daniel Yee Tak Lai, Agnes Yuen Kwan Chan, Sophia Siu-Chee Lam, Tai Hing Ho, Daniel Sai Yin |
| author_facet | Zhao, Sheng Zhi Guo, Ningyuan Wang, Man Ping Fong, Daniel Yee Tak Lai, Agnes Yuen Kwan Chan, Sophia Siu-Chee Lam, Tai Hing Ho, Daniel Sai Yin |
| author_sort | Zhao, Sheng Zhi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundElectronic devices (eDevices) may have positive or negative influences on family communication and well-being depending on how they are used.
ObjectiveWe examined eDevice use during family time and its association with the quality of family communication and well-being in Hong Kong Chinese adults.
MethodsIn 2017, a probability-based 2-stage random sampling landline telephone survey collected data on eDevice use in daily life and during family time (eg, family dinner) and the presence of rules banning eDevice use during family dinner. Family communication quality was rated from 0 to 10 with higher scores being favorable. Family well-being was calculated as a composite mean score of 3 items each using the same scale from 0 to 10. The associations of family communication quality and well-being with eDevice use in daily life and during family time were estimated using beta-coefficient (β) adjusting for sociodemographics. The mediating role of family communication quality in the association between eDevice use and family well-being was analyzed.
ResultsOf the 2064 respondents (mean age 56.4 [SD 19.2] years, 1269/2064 [61.48%] female), 1579/2059 (76.69%) used an eDevice daily for a mean of 3.6 hours (SD 0.1) and 257/686 (37.5%) used it for 30+ minutes before sleep. As much as 794/2046 (38.81%) often or sometimes used an eDevice during family time including dinner (311/2017, 15.42%); 713/2012 (35.44%) reported use of an eDevice by family members during dinner. Lower family communication quality was associated with hours of eDevice use before sleep (adjusted β=–.25; 95% CI –0.44 to –0.05), and often use (vs never use) of eDevice during family dinner by oneself (adjusted β=–.51; 95% CI –0.91 to –0.10) and family members (adjusted β=–.54; 95% CI –0.79 to –0.29). Similarly, lower family well-being was associated with eDevice use before sleep (adjusted β=–.26; 95% CI –0.42 to –0.09), and often use during family dinner by oneself (adjusted β=–.48; 95% CI –0.83 to –0.12) and family members (adjusted β=–.50; 95% CI –0.72 to –0.28). Total ban of eDevice use during family dinner was negatively associated with often use by oneself (adjusted odds ratio 0.49; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.85) and family members (adjusted odds ratio 0.41; 95% CI 0.28, 0.60) but not with family communication and well-being. Lower family communication quality substantially mediated the total effect of the association of eDevice use time before sleep (61.2%) and often use at family dinner by oneself (87.0%) and by family members (67.8%) with family well-being.
ConclusionseDevice use before sleep and during family dinner was associated with lower family well-being, and the association was substantially mediated by family communication quality. Our results suggest that interventions on smart use of eDevice may improve family communication and well-being. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:17:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b09abbef7ef464981c70293d550d567 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:17:24Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b09abbef7ef464981c70293d550d5672022-12-21T17:15:54ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712020-10-012210e2052910.2196/20529The Association Between Electronic Device Use During Family Time and Family Well-Being: Population-Based Cross-Sectional StudyZhao, Sheng ZhiGuo, NingyuanWang, Man PingFong, Daniel Yee TakLai, Agnes Yuen KwanChan, Sophia Siu-CheeLam, Tai HingHo, Daniel Sai YinBackgroundElectronic devices (eDevices) may have positive or negative influences on family communication and well-being depending on how they are used. ObjectiveWe examined eDevice use during family time and its association with the quality of family communication and well-being in Hong Kong Chinese adults. MethodsIn 2017, a probability-based 2-stage random sampling landline telephone survey collected data on eDevice use in daily life and during family time (eg, family dinner) and the presence of rules banning eDevice use during family dinner. Family communication quality was rated from 0 to 10 with higher scores being favorable. Family well-being was calculated as a composite mean score of 3 items each using the same scale from 0 to 10. The associations of family communication quality and well-being with eDevice use in daily life and during family time were estimated using beta-coefficient (β) adjusting for sociodemographics. The mediating role of family communication quality in the association between eDevice use and family well-being was analyzed. ResultsOf the 2064 respondents (mean age 56.4 [SD 19.2] years, 1269/2064 [61.48%] female), 1579/2059 (76.69%) used an eDevice daily for a mean of 3.6 hours (SD 0.1) and 257/686 (37.5%) used it for 30+ minutes before sleep. As much as 794/2046 (38.81%) often or sometimes used an eDevice during family time including dinner (311/2017, 15.42%); 713/2012 (35.44%) reported use of an eDevice by family members during dinner. Lower family communication quality was associated with hours of eDevice use before sleep (adjusted β=–.25; 95% CI –0.44 to –0.05), and often use (vs never use) of eDevice during family dinner by oneself (adjusted β=–.51; 95% CI –0.91 to –0.10) and family members (adjusted β=–.54; 95% CI –0.79 to –0.29). Similarly, lower family well-being was associated with eDevice use before sleep (adjusted β=–.26; 95% CI –0.42 to –0.09), and often use during family dinner by oneself (adjusted β=–.48; 95% CI –0.83 to –0.12) and family members (adjusted β=–.50; 95% CI –0.72 to –0.28). Total ban of eDevice use during family dinner was negatively associated with often use by oneself (adjusted odds ratio 0.49; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.85) and family members (adjusted odds ratio 0.41; 95% CI 0.28, 0.60) but not with family communication and well-being. Lower family communication quality substantially mediated the total effect of the association of eDevice use time before sleep (61.2%) and often use at family dinner by oneself (87.0%) and by family members (67.8%) with family well-being. ConclusionseDevice use before sleep and during family dinner was associated with lower family well-being, and the association was substantially mediated by family communication quality. Our results suggest that interventions on smart use of eDevice may improve family communication and well-being.http://www.jmir.org/2020/10/e20529/ |
| spellingShingle | Zhao, Sheng Zhi Guo, Ningyuan Wang, Man Ping Fong, Daniel Yee Tak Lai, Agnes Yuen Kwan Chan, Sophia Siu-Chee Lam, Tai Hing Ho, Daniel Sai Yin The Association Between Electronic Device Use During Family Time and Family Well-Being: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | The Association Between Electronic Device Use During Family Time and Family Well-Being: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | The Association Between Electronic Device Use During Family Time and Family Well-Being: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | The Association Between Electronic Device Use During Family Time and Family Well-Being: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Association Between Electronic Device Use During Family Time and Family Well-Being: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | The Association Between Electronic Device Use During Family Time and Family Well-Being: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | association between electronic device use during family time and family well being population based cross sectional study |
| url | http://www.jmir.org/2020/10/e20529/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhaoshengzhi theassociationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT guoningyuan theassociationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT wangmanping theassociationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT fongdanielyeetak theassociationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT laiagnesyuenkwan theassociationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT chansophiasiuchee theassociationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT lamtaihing theassociationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT hodanielsaiyin theassociationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT zhaoshengzhi associationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT guoningyuan associationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT wangmanping associationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT fongdanielyeetak associationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT laiagnesyuenkwan associationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT chansophiasiuchee associationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT lamtaihing associationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy AT hodanielsaiyin associationbetweenelectronicdeviceuseduringfamilytimeandfamilywellbeingpopulationbasedcrosssectionalstudy |