Virtual Nests: The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Mother–Child Bonding and Emotional Adjustment during the Empty Nest Phase

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in mother–child bonding and emotional adjustment during the empty nest phase. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected from 71 mothers experiencing the empty nest phase using standardized self-report instruments, namely the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and the Empty Nest Syndrome Scale–Indian Form (ENS-IF). Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings revealed a positive relationship between mother–child bonding and emotional adjustment (r = 0.234), mother–child bonding and the empty nest phase (r = 0.427), and emotional adjustment and the empty nest phase (r = 0.639). These results indicate that stronger mother–child bonding and better emotional adjustment are associated with more positive experiences during the empty nest phase. The study concludes that ICT plays a significant role in sustaining emotional connectedness between mothers and their children despite physical separation, thereby supporting mothers in adapting to the emotional challenges of the empty nest transition.