Navigating Youth Digital Wellness for Parents and Teachers

Join us for an evening of insightful, actionable, research-informed conversations about children’s digital wellness, as we probe the most pressing digital wellness issues that are affecting school-aged children today. 

Children Media Lab Senior Researcher and PhD student Josanne Buchanan will share current research about the various ways in which technology use is influencing school-aged children’s mental, social, and physical wellbeing along with their learning and attentional outcomes. Some subjects of topical interest include: comparison culture, the impact of screen-based content on self-esteem, fear of missing out (FOMO), and exposure to harmful or distressing content. She will share insights about why and how screen-based technologies are influencing children’s wellbeing; how the impact of screen-based technologies differs between school, home, and community environments; and practical, research-informed ways (i.e, conversation starters, children’s books that cover digital wellness topics)  in which educators and parents can support children in healthfully engaging with media and technologies. 

We will also discuss ways in which technology can be leveraged to amplify positive wellbeing outcomes. 

In the second half of the session, attendees will have the opportunity to gather into working groups wherein parents, educators, and researchers can collaboratively discuss solutions to some of the digital wellness issues discussed.