Effects of digital technology on adolescents' wellbeing : An integrative model (iMEW)
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2022 |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Web | https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/83155 |
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| Description | Adolescence is marked by biological, cognitive and social changes, during which several critical developmental tasks need to be fulfilled, including the formation of identity, sexuality, intimacy, and a value system. The successful achievement of developmental goals is related to better well-being and success in later tasks in life. Among others, adolescents use ICTs to experiment with the developmental tasks of this period. Therefore, the benefits and hindrances related to adolescents’ use of ICTs should be considered to understand their development and well-being. This report proposes an integrative developmental model of the effects of ICTs on the well-being of adolescents (iMEW). The model offers a causal framework to examine adolescents’ online activities (ICT usage) in relation to the developmental tasks of this period. It connects the impact of online activities with short-term and long-term well-being outcomes for adolescents. In doing so, it follows an integrative approach synthesising theories from media and communication studies, developmental psychology, and health sciences. The iMEW offers a developmental perspective for understanding the factors related to the effects of ICTs on the well-being of adolescents. It intends to provide a conceptual framework for researchers to think about complex relationships between the variables from a developmental perspective. This report briefly summarises the conceptual framework of iMEW. For a detailed description of the model, we suggest reading our article in the European Journal of Developmental Psychology (Smahel et al., 2022). |
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