Funding Source
John T. Templeton Foundation Research Grant, 63213
Project Period
9/1/24 – 8/31/27
Principal Investigator
Alexandra Rodman, PhD (Northeastern University)
Other Project Staff
Varun Mishra, PhD (Co-I)
Project Summary
This project investigates how adolescents’ digital social activity (DSA)—including calls, messaging, and social media use—interacts with their developing self-concept to influence wellbeing and resilience. Using an intensive longitudinal design, 80 adolescents will provide 8 months of real-time digital phenotyping data through smartphone sensing, ecological momentary assessments, monthly surveys, and experimental tasks. The study will apply machine learning to identify dynamic patterns of risk and resilience, and pilot an adaptive intervention that delivers personalized smartphone nudges to strengthen virtue embodiment (e.g., gratitude, optimism) and promote resilience.
Public Health Relevance
Understanding how adolescents’ digital social activity influences their wellbeing is a critical public health priority in today’s technology-driven world. This project will generate new insights into mechanisms of risk and resilience, and test personalized, scalable interventions that can promote adolescent mental health and wellbeing during a key developmental period.