Abstract
Divorce is a traumatic disruption in the lives of families that puts both parents and children at risk for long-term emotional and social consequences. However, if the non-residential parent maintains a quality relationship with the child, many of these negative consequences are mitigated. Divorced families face substantial challenges in parenting while living apart, especially as geographic separation often makes in-person visitation more difficult. Many families are turning to virtual visitation—supplementing in-person visits with use of communication technologies such as videoconferencing. However, current communication technologies are often inadequate to support long-distance parenting. We discuss the needs of divorced families and how these may be addressed through design. We present a case study of a single intervention, called the ShareTable, aimed at enriching virtual visitation between parents and children who live apart. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of designing for divorced families.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Connecting Families |
Subtitle of host publication | The Impact of New Communication Technologies on Domestic Life |
Publisher | Springer Verlag |
Pages | 75-93 |
Number of pages | 19 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781447141921 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781447141914 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2013 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© Springer-Verlag London 2013.