How does social media impact adolescent mental health?

Overview

Buying a first phone for your child is a big milestone, and a big question for any parent. How much should they use it? Which apps are fine? How does social media fit into a healthy childhood?

With funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Happy Tech Lab at Georgetown University follows young people through their first six months with a smartphone to learn how social media use shapes their day-to-day mental health, and for whom it matters most.

You and your child may be able to participate if you are the parent of a 10-14-year-old who does not have their own phone yet.

Benefits of Participation

• Receive compensation for your time and contribution to science ($200 per family)

• Receive a free study phone for your child at the beginning of the study that they can keep upon successfully completing the study

• Learn effective ways to implement parental controls

• Get a chance to win raffle prizes

• Your family will contribute to advancing scientific knowledge in a critical area affecting today's youth.

Eligibility Criteria

• Children aged 10-14 years old who do not yet have their own smartphone

• Living anywhere in the United States

• Parental consent (both parents if custody is shared)

• The child’s willingness to participate in study activities.

  • No history of self-harm ideation, developmental diagnoses, or severe mental

  health problems.

What You Can Expect

• If eligible, we will meet with you and your child virtually to explain the study, answer any questions, and share the consent documents with you and any co-parents.

• Your child may be assigned to either naturalistic or restricted social media access for 3 months.

• We provide your child’s smartphone and set it up with you, including parental controls and study software. You'll be compensated $50 for this step, which takes 15-30 minutes.

• The study will monitor your child’s mobile device activity across approximately 6 months.

• You and your child will each be asked to complete three paid surveys:

  • Before your child gets their new phone (Baseline): You’ll get $25 for filling out the first survey. It takes about 30 minutes each.

  • 3 months after we begin data collection: You’ll get $50 for another survey. This one takes about 20 minutes each.

  • 6 months after we begin data collection: You’ll get $75 for the last survey. It also takes about 20 minutes each.

• Your child will also be prompted with daily questions on their phone concerning changes in their daily mental health.

• Upon completion of the study, you can keep the study-provided phone.

Take advantage of this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of adolescents everywhere! Help us uncover the impact of social media on mental health. Your involvement could shape the future of adolescent mental health research.

For more information or to enroll your child, please click APPLY NOW below or contact us adolescentsocialmedia@georgetown.edu