Research addressing the impacts of digital environments on youth mental health is set to become better coordinated and more relevant thanks to a new report from Orygen, which has laid out a set of global research priorities for the first time.
The report was commissioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and developed with support from The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP) and Professor John Torous.
The report details an agreed research agenda to better understand the relationship between digital environments (such as social media, gaming, generative AI and other platforms) and youth mental health, developed with young people and interdisciplinary experts through a structured research prioritisation exercise.
Project lead and Senior Research Fellow at Orygen, Dr Louise La Sala, said the report addressed how the international community can undertake research into this vital topic that is coordinated, rigorous, globally relevant and translated into action.
“We already know that children and young people are growing up in digital environments, and that these environments are shaping their social lives, education, identity, and access to information, but we have major gaps in research and understanding about the mental health impacts,” Dr La Sala said.
“Digital environments like social media, gaming platforms and generative AI can offer important opportunities for connection, learning and help-seeking, but also have potential to negatively impact young people’s health and wellbeing.
“We need to take a coordinated approach to understanding these impacts, and this report offers a clear set of priorities for the global research community to focus on as we work to better respond to the rapidly evolving world young people are growing up in.”
The report brought together young people and experts to explore the current evidence, understand research gaps, and reach consensus about the priorities for future research – bringing the top ten highest-priorities together in a research roadmap.
Research roadmap:
- Undertake research into both positive and negative impacts of digital environments on youth mental health, independent from industry influence.
- Focus on the effects of exposure to self-harm, suicide, and disordered eating content, and the impact of algorithms and negative online experiences.
- Explore the impacts of digital environments on children, social and interpersonal functioning, and risk and safety outcomes.
- Ultimately, use this evidence to develop standards and regulatory frameworks for digital environments.
Dr La Sala said the results highlighted both the complexity of the relationship between digital environments and youth mental health, and the limitations of the current evidence base.
“Despite rapid growth in research, fundamental questions remain unresolved,” Dr La Sala said.
“This is not due to a lack of interest or effort, but reflects persistent challenges in how research in this field has been conducted – with these findings we now have a clear direction for how researchers and policymakers worldwide can collaborate and undertake research with impact.
“The challenge now is not identifying what to study, but working collectively to ensure that the right research is conducted in the right way and translated into meaningful action that supports young people and their mental health.”