Mariya Stoilova

Screen Time, Safety, and Skills?

Helping your child thrive in the digital age Dr Mariya Stoilova

London School of Economics and Political Science linkedin.com/in/mariyastoilova/ @mariyastoilova.bsky.social m.stoilova@lse.ac.uk

Public concern about screen time & social media

There are no universal effects of technology use

“The results highlight the complexity of the relationship between technology use and adolescent wellbeing, where some adolescents experience positive outcomes, and others face challenges.”

Research with over 15,000 internetusing children aged 9–17 years from 19 countries across the globe since 2016

#GlobalKidsOnline www.globalkidsonline.net

O pp or tu ni R is tie ks s

Pr ac Sk tice s ills

Child identity and resources

ONLINE

Access

Opening the “black box”

Child wellbeing and rights

INDIVIDUAL LEVEL Family

Educators

Peers

Community

Digital ecology

SOCIAL LEVEL

www.globalkidsonline.net/framew ork Author: Sonia Livingstone

Societal inclusion (inequality, welfare)

COUNTRTY LEVEL

T echnology provision and regulation

Education and knowledge

Culture, media and values

A ladder of opportunities

#GlobalKidsOnline www.globalkidsonline.net

Facing risks does not mean being harmed Note that data for only 5 of the 7 risks were available in Albania; for 6 risks in South Africa; and for 3 risks in Montenegro.

#GlobalKidsOnline www.globalkidsonline.net

DIORA: Dynamic Interplay of Online Risk and Resilience in Adolescence

• A longitudinal study of reciprocal relations between digital activities and depression, anxiety and wellbeing in a community sample of 552 UK adolescents.

• Multimethod and multidisciplinary, the study builds on and is followed by qualitative research and is informed throughout by our youth panel.

• Scale validation with two preliminary samples of older adolescents (n=383, 16-25y).

Aja Murray

Peiyao Tang

Digital activities, feelings & mental health • It is not only what young people do online, but how it makes them feel that matters.

Screen time is much less important and often insignificant.

• Positive feelings are more frequent and linked to reduced depression + better wellbeing.

• Negative feelings about the self and feeling stressed while online are less frequent but linked to poorer mental health and reduced wellbeing.

• The effects on wellbeing and depression were independent and related to different factors.

• The most frequent activities are social interactions online, which are positively (though weakly) associated with wellbeing.

• Making social comparisons online is also frequent but linked to increased depression symptoms and reduced wellbeing.

Aja Murray

Peiyao Tang

Can digital literacy support mental health?

Digital engagement and mental health 1

Looking at the relationship between activities and mental health difficulties

2

Digital literacy and wellbeing The role of literacy and skills in aiding or worsening mental health

• 62 in-depth qualitative interviews with young people aged 12-22 years old (46 girls and 16 boys) in Norway and the UK • with experiences of internet-related trauma, e.g. self-harm, cyberbullying, excessive internet use, grooming and sexual abuse • ranging from those under the care of mental health practitioners to those whose mental health difficulties were mild/ undiagnosed

A wider “repertoire” of capabilities and affordances “On Twitter sometimes there are ● Young people with mental health difficulties gradually develop skills over time with younger adolescents being, as a whole, less competent. ● They are learning specific digital skills that reflect their mental health experiences. ● Digital skills are thoroughly entwined with the psychosocial life skills. Learning takes place during a complex developmental period, characterised by exploration, risktaking and vulnerability. ● Recognising one’s own triggers is a digital skill that combines self-knowledge with an understanding of the digital ecology. But it’s also a task that’s hard to do.

feeds trending or threads trending on my feed where it’s like ways to cope. And I have got a bunch of those added to my bookmarks so that I can go to them quickly.” (girl aged 17, UK)

“How can I develop without making mistakes? I have to learn it myself because there’s not always going to be that person to tell me not to do this and not to do that.” (boy aged 17, UK)

https://yskills.eu/resources bit.ly/mentalhealth8

What can parents do?

• Talk about online experiences: ask your child not "How much time did you spend online?" but "How did your time online make you feel today?“ • Encourage positive activities: help them find digital spaces that make them feel good—like creative platforms, supportive communities, or skill-building apps.

• Discuss social comparison: remind them that people often share only their best moments online, and real life isn’t always like what they see on social media.

• Support children when facing harm: encourage open conversations so they feel safe telling you if they come across anything upsetting.

• Model balanced digital habits: show them that technology can be a great tool when used mindfully. Small risks can build resilience.

THANK YOU

Dr Mariya Stoilova London School of Economics and Political Science linkedin.com/in/mariyastoilova/ @mariyastoilova.bsky.social m.stoilova@lse.ac.uk