Real-time, passive measurement of communication during family leisure: An exploratory study of wearable sociometric badges

Abstract

Research on family communication in the leisure context has been limited to retrospective survey reconstructions of perceptions of communication patterns. This study examines the validity of sociometric badges for measuring family communication in real-time. Seven families (married, two-parent families with at least one child ages 4-17 years) wore sociometric badges during a 30-minute leisure activity in a lab setting. We compared mean badge estimates of family communication duration to mean coded video data from the same 30-minute sessions. Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated sociometric badges are not as reliable as video-coded estimates of speech; however, among parents, non-significant mean comparisons partially support the validity of sociometric badges. Deviation scores indicated average differences between the two methods to be less than three minutes. We urge scholars to proceed with cautious optimism if using sociometric badges for real-time communication data collection, and to pair badges with other data collection methods.

Potential connection between positive frustration in family leisure time and the promotion of adolescent autonomy

“…Therefore, shared leisure time in which there is assertive communication ( Robles et al, 2021 ) can help parents to be more aware of and attuned to the needs of their adolescent children ( Sharp et al, 2006 ), fostering most notably the promotion of behavioral and emotional autonomy. A favorable communicative environment invites more time together, which can be associated with greater bonding and guaranteed family encounters ( Hodge et al, 2017 , 2022 ; Hart et al, 2020 ; Shannon, 2022 ), as well as greater protection from adolescent risk behaviors ( Albertos et al, 2016 ) and greater likelihood of adequate parenting skills ( Martín Quintana et al, 2018 ; Van der Eecken et al, 2018 ).…”

Types of Family Leisure Activities in Families With Adolescents

“…The relevance of leisure in family contexts, the need to educate family in the enjoyment, and development of healthy leisure experiences are manifested in the multiple benefits. Thus, family time in a recreational context is strongly related to the creation of stronger bonds between children and parents (Chen et al, 2019); to the improvement of communication between different family members (Hodge et al, 2020), it influences the feeling of belonging (Shannon, 2019; Sharaievska, & Stodolska, 2017), and it also provides education and satisfaction regarding family moments (Hodge et al, 2017). In fact, it increases levels of trust and support, visible in the use of family communication as a vehicle for affection and kindness.…”

Percepción de las familias sobre los obstáculos y dificultades del ocio familiar durante el confinamiento

“…Se ha demostrado que establecer niveles de comunicación asertivos en la familia permite gestionar, sin un elevado coste emocional, los conflictos, convirtiéndose, como apuntan Robles et al (2021), en un buen predictor del éxito de la vida familiar. De hecho, un entorno comunicativo positivo ayuda a incrementar el afecto entre los miembros y el deseo por permanecer tiempo juntos que desencadenaría a su vez en un aumento de la frecuencia de actividad de ocio familiar (Hart et al, 2020;Hodge et al, 2022). En contraposición, una escasez o inadecuada comunicación paterno-filial dificulta la convivencia, el gusto por pasar tiempo juntos y evoca a una preferencia por el ocio individual (Fernandes et al, 2020).…”