ICT use and its influence in family functioning with reference to process and structure of families: A structural equation analysis

Abstract

ICT use in family functioning is an important area to study as the impact changes when technology grows over years. This research analyzed the role of ICT use in process and structure of families using the factors present in Hertlein multitheoretical model. The additional factor 'family communication pattern' was introduced and tested along with the process factor to know its importance. The study has taken 756 samples (both parents and children) in Chennai and tested two hypothesis. Structural equation model (SEM) was used to analyze the data. The result shows that ICT has influenced the process changes of the families. The structural changes in families are slowly started occurring and that is not as significant as process changes. The added new factor has loaded positively with existing factors, which shows that family communication is important for family process and thus contributed to theoretical development.