More Than Screen Time: The Mediating Role of Distraction in the Relationship between Smartphone Use and Family Communication

Abstract

The pervasive integration of smartphones into daily life has raised growing concerns about their impact on interpersonal relationships, particularly within the family context. While prior research has predominantly focused on screen time duration as a predictor of relational strain, this study examines the underlying cognitive mechanism of distraction as a mediating factor in the association between smartphone use and family communication quality. Utilizing a quantitative, mixed-method, two-wave longitudinal design, the present study recruited 300 family dyads including adolescent–parent and spousal pairs stratified across socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and family structures to ensure representativeness. Smartphone usage was operationalized through objective screen time logs, app-based tracking (via RescueTime), and self-reported frequency-based items adapted from the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS). Distraction was assessed using the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS), ecological momentary assessments (EMA) administered three times daily, and behavioral coding of family interactions for a subsample (n = 50). Family communication quality was measured using the Family Communication Scale (FCS), supplemented by observational assessments via the Rapid Interaction Coding System (RICS) during structured discussions. Mediation analysis, conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS Model 4, revealed that distraction significantly mediated the relationship between smartphone use and family communication quality (indirect effect: p < .01). Specifically, higher levels of smartphone engagement were associated with increased cognitive and behavioral distraction, which in turn predicted lower levels of warmth, openness, and effective problem-solving within family interactions. These findings suggest that the disruptive influence of smartphones is not solely a function of time spent on devices, but rather the attentional fragmentation they induce during critical interpersonal exchanges.

The study offers important theoretical and practical implications for digital well-being initiatives, emphasizing the need to address attentional dynamics and not merely screen exposure. Interventions aimed at fostering mindful smartphone use may hold promise for strengthening family communication and relational cohesion.