Youth Development and Technology I: Youth Wellbeing

Institute of Human Development integrative panel

Emma Bruehlman-Senecal, PhD, Principal Researcher, HopeLab
Jayla Stokesberry, Research Assistant, HopeLab

Discussant: Amia Nash Chambers, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar, UC Berkeley School of Public Health / Institute of Human Development

Teens and young adults are growing up in an increasingly digital world that amplifies both opportunities and exposure to risks. A series of three reports from Hopelab, Common Sense Media, and the Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard Graduate School of Education provide insights into how teens and young adults experience life online, including social media, generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), and telehealth and online supports.

Uniquely, this study was co-created with young people who provided direction and input regarding survey content and who worked with the study team to prioritize and interpret results. This talk describes the process of survey co-creation and co-interpretation with young people, demonstrating how youth engagement resulted in a significantly revised survey, which young people felt was relatable and reflected their salient online experiences. It also highlights key findings across the three surveys, including how Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ young people report unique benefits and risks associated with social media use and the ways in which young people actively curate their digital media consumption to support their wellbeing.