Youth Connections for Wellbeing

For Open Review: Youth Wellbeing in a Technology Rich World

The open review period for this collection closes on Monday, September 30, 2024. The relationship between youth wellbeing and technology use is a growing arena of concern - and contention. The adolescent mental health crisis has amplified the debate to a fever pitch. While beguiling in its simplicity,  the relationship between technology use and wellbeing can’t be reduced to the question of whether social media is good or bad. The stressors that youth face span online and offline contexts and include poverty, schooling pressures, climate anxiety, the opioid epidemic, harassment, and political polarization. Specific forms of digital content and online engagement can amplify these stressors as well as mitigate them. Recognizing the diversity of youth experience and identifying how varied technologies are taken up in specific activities and contexts are crucial starting points for asking more better informed questions and devising effective solutions. This essay collection offers essential research insights, critical perspectives, and design frameworks to inform a more evidence-based, grounded, and productive public debate.   We are posting this collection as a work-in-progress in order to invite public review and comments from colleagues and stakeholders who are invested in youth wellbeing as they grow up with smartphones, social media, gaming spaces, and other digital technologies. These are issues that are top of mind for many young people, caregivers, educators, policy makers, journalists, clinicians, and researchers, and we welcome a diversity of perspectives and expertise in response to this work. 

Social Media and Youth Wellbeing: What We Know and Where We Could Go

This paper summarizes our current knowledge and redirects the conversation about adolescent social media use and wellbeing in three ways that are particularly relevant in our current moment: Refocusing the debate over the relationship between youth social media use and wellbeing to reflect existing evidence, varied youth perspectives and backgrounds; identifying teen vulnerabilities and assets that may influence problematic and healthy social media engagement; and suggesting opportunities where youth social engagement might mitigate vulnerabilities and leverage assets.

Mental Health Apps Draw Wave of New Users as Experts Call for More Oversight

“Finding an effective therapy app can be like finding a needle in a haystack,” says Stephen Schueller, a UCI assistant professor of psychological sciences

Panicking About Your Kids’ Phones? New Research Says Don’t

“There doesn’t seem to be an evidence base that would explain the level of panic and consternation around these issues,” said Candice L. Odgers, a professor at the University of California, Irvine

In the Age of Smartphones, Parents Are Encouraged to Be Media Mentors, Not Gatekeepers

Parenting in the age of smartphones can be really stressful. There’s a growing push to encourage parents to be media mentors rather than gatekeepers. Mizuko Ito, director of the Connected Learning Lab, talks with NPR’s Anya Kamenetz in the Life Kit

Conversations With Mimi Ito and Stephen Schueller: Beneficial Aspects of Social Media Use Among Children and Adolescents

Scientific Inquirer discusses the findings of a recent report on social media use with its authors Mimi Ito and Stephen Schueller

What Teens Need Us to Know About Social Media and Mental Health

“A new report from a team of researchers at the Connected Learning Lab at UC Irvine provides rich evidence of what we have been sharing in workshops for years and the philosophy that guides our online classes..."

Social Media Offers Students a ‘Lifeline’ in Age of Anxiety

“College students have turned to social media—not to cut themselves off from current events—but to seek connections that boost mental health during this age of coronavirus-induced anxiety and isolation.”

Speaking of Psychology: How to Choose Effective, Science-Based Mental Health Apps With Stephen Schueller, Phd

Stephen Schueller discusses his nonprofit mental health app reviewing website, One Mind PsyberGuide and how to choose effective, science-based mental health apps.

The ‘Enrichment Gap’ Is Widening. Students’ Social-Emotional Development Is at Risk.

“What we have here is not a capacity problem. It’s a supply chain problem. Educator capacity sits untapped at a time of unprecedented need.” Mimi Ito shares her concerns about how the pandemic has drastically expanded the out-of-school enrichment gap

Playing Video Games May Be Good for Your Mental Health, Experts Say

Playing video games might be good for you despite years of hype to the contrary, experts say. A recent paper published by scientists from the University of Oxford finds some games can positively impact a player’s mental health.

Instagram for Kids Could Work if Done Right, Experts Say

“The way online platforms and regulations are designed right now, it assumes there’s this cliff at 13 where kids are thrown into the wild open internet.” Mimi Ito discusses why it’s important to focus on connection rather than control when it comes t

Yes, Online Communities Pose Risks for Young People, but They Are Also Important Sources of Support

Currently, evidence does not support the idea that social media use is generally harmful to young people’s well-being. In fact, comparing oneself to others’ positive social media posts can even enhance well-being by motivating self-improvement.

1-2-1 With Josh Richards & Griffin Johnson

Watch Josh Richards go 1-2-1 with Griffin Johnson about how difficult it can be for them to be vulnerable and open up about their feelings. They are joined Dr. Stephen Schueller of One Mind who speaks about the importance of self-compassion and

Meet the Teens Making the Digital World a Kinder and Gentler Place

A new project called HX aims to generate reimagined models of technology that put people first, prioritizing psychological well-being and ethical behavior online.