Cultivating Adolescent Well-Being in the Digital Age
All of us are social creatures, and the strength of our relationships has a significant impact on our overall well-being. Young people use social media to build connections, access resources, and explore their identities. Adults are sometimes aware of the positive and negative aspects of technology, but often struggle to guide and advise adolescents on safe and healthy use when technology is constantly present and ever-changing.
During the 2024 Summer Institute in Adolescent Health, we will explore how professionals, parents, and caring adults can engage with and promote the healthy use of technology. Identify how childhood experiences with social media affect adolescent brain development and social, behavioral, academic, and health outcomes. Examine digital literacy, dissect the exploitative nature of influencer culture, and develop skills to empower youth with marginalized identities. Gain an understanding of current advocacy efforts at state and national levels aimed at boosting online protections for youth and envision a future where young people’s needs come before advertisers’ and big tech’s profits.