Smartphone off, family on? A scoping review of digital disconnection within the family context

Abstract

This scoping review examines where and how disconnection occurs within family contexts and how it relates to both individual and relational well-being, using Family Systems Theory as a guiding framework. Following PRISMA guidelines, 68 peer-reviewed studies were identified through five databases. Findings reveal a predominant focus on the parent-child subsystem, with parents positioned as digital gatekeepers, while other subsystems, such as siblings, partners, and the broader family system, remain largely overlooked. Across the literature, four overarching disconnection strategies emerge: time-based, content-based, activity-based, and context-based, applied in both self- and other-directed ways. Well-being is typically framed in individualistic terms, with limited attention to interpersonal or systemic dimensions. Some studies indicate that other-directed disconnection may also serve the initiator's well-being, revealing reciprocal dynamics. This review maps key gaps in the literature and calls for more relationally grounded, context-sensitive approaches to studying digital disengagement in families.