Parenting, Positive Mental Health, and (Scientific) Plausibility: Developmental Science in our Digital Age

Parents worry that smartphones and social media are hurting families and youth mental health; meanwhile lawmakers here in Australia have set a world precedent with a nation-level experiment attempting to restrict social media access. Yet the state of the evidence for parenting and youth mental health in the digital age has simply not kept pace with what is being asked by policy makers; and the zeitgeist remains muddled with cross-sectional research, questionable measurement, and emotive headlines. This talk will address the state of the evidence for digital parenting, some of the tangible ways parents can help versus hurt young people’s experiences with digital wellbeing, and the ways that we as scientists can enhance the rigor and credibility of our research in this arena as the world looks to Australian research during this time.