Poster Session 6: Children, Parents, and Families in Context

Presenters: Jessica Resor, Erika Grafsky

Summary
Family group chats (FGCs) represent an understudied area in technology-mediated communication in families. In this study, 149 adult participants completed an anonymous 23 question online questionnaire about their family group chat experience and behaviors. The aims were to understand how families utilize FGCs, factors that influence memberships in FGCs, and how they represent family dynamics and relationships. Thematic analysis was conducted on open-ended responses, revealing three themes: (1) exclusion based on technical or social constraints, (2) blanket communication to all, and (3) an extension of family life. From this study, it is clear that family group chats are a meaningful and practical form of multi-family member communication that serve as an extension of family dynamics and processes. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.

Objectives
-- Attendees will understand how families utilize family group chats.
-- Attendees will identify factors that influence family group chat membership.
-- Attendees will understand how family group chats represent family dynamics and relationships.

Subject Codes: communication, technology, family processes
Population Codes: inclusive of adults, emerging/young adulthood, extended family/kin
Method and Approach Codes: thematic analysis, qualitative methodology