Project Description

This project focuses on developing and offering a Digital Wellness Summer Program (DWSP) that addresses the negative impacts of smartphones and social media on adolescent females’ psychological well-being. This program takes a novel approach to guiding young people toward developing healthier relationships with smartphones and social media. Rather than the pre-existing “regulation-based” approach, we are empowering young people with education–the cognitive science and psychology to understand the addictive design principles that are the foundation of smartphones and social media platforms–so they can make informed decisions for themselves. Students will be introduced to specific mindfulness practices to develop the skills of attentional control and emotional regulation, further empowering their agency in where they choose to give their attentional and emotional resources.

Undergraduate students will be primarily responsible for participant and parent survey design and analysis. Desired student skills and experience include:

  • Psychological/educational survey design and analysis/assessment
  • Excel/Google forms proficiency
  • Previous experience with human subjects research

Special Requirement

Time commitment:

  • 1-2 hours per week meeting with program director
  • Program Facilitation: June 28and 30, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  • 2-3 hours per week on program content development (May-June)
  • 2-3 hours per week on program analysis (July-August)

Skills & Responsibilities:

  • Program facilitation (June 28and 30)
  • Qualitative analysis of participant interactions during the program
  • Developing, administering, and compiling results from surveys

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