Domestication of Information and Communication Technologies into Family Systems: A Conceptual Framework Evaluating Family Health.

This article focuses on the development of a multidimensional conceptual framework examining how the integration, or domestication, of digital technologies into family systems—particularly families with preschool to adolescent children—affects family health, parent–child relationships, and mental health outcomes. Drawing on domestication theory, family systems theory, structural family therapy, and related models, the framework illustrates how technology can function as a subsystem within the family, potentially disrupting homeostasis and leading to "technoference," or interference in face-to-face interactions. The study presents three sequential family system frames—from balanced to maladaptive integration of technology—highlighting risks such as communication breakdown, parenting challenges, and behavioral problems in children. The article underscores the need for empirical research, culturally sensitive interventions, and evidence-based policies to promote healthy technology use and maintain family equilibrium in the digital age.