About this Research Topic
In recent years - and especially in the past year - face-to-face communication has been dramatically replaced by online communication. The extant research literature has pointed to the opportunities that online communication may offer to young people, including the development of digital literacy skills and the possibility to overcome social isolation through connecting with peers online. However, research studies have also pointed to the increasing concerns in relation to the risks and harmful behaviours that young people may experience online, including cyberhate, cyberbullying, cyber-harassment and sexual exploitation.
Given the centrality of online communications in young people's life, it is paramount to investigate the role of both positive and harmful online interactions in relation to adolescents' wellbeing and mental health. Unfortunately, several studies have been carried out without a strong theoretical background and without adopting a clear focus on the developmental outcomes of engaging in online communications. In addition, previous research studies have placed a strong focus on the potential harmfulness of online communications, whereas less attention has been paid to the opportunities that online communications pose in terms of socio-emotional and socio-cognitive development, social inclusion, learning, and overall quality of life and wellbeing. The role of contextual factors in shaping children and adolescents' online communications and behaviours also needs to be further investigated. For instance, more attention should be paid to the strategies adopted by parents to monitor their children's online behaviours and whether these contribute to positive outcomes (e.g., positive online peer interactions; building resilience skills to cope with negative online experiences; academic achievement).
This Research Topic aims to explore the associations between various individual (e.g., personality, empathy, popularity, resilience, socio-cognitive and socio-emotional functioning, morality) and contextual factors (e.g., school belonging, family functioning, parental mediation strategies) and online risks and opportunities for both children and adolescents. The contributions will help to clarify how children and adolescents overcome online risks and if coping successfully is associated with building new resilience skills in a developmental perspective.
Importantly, recent research suggests that the Covid-19 Health crisis has considerably increased the time that adolescents spend on the Internet. Although, there might be a risk for harmful social communications to take place online, at the same time, connecting with peers online could increase adolescent sense of belongingness and could prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness. Moreover, the extant research shows that Internet use for children can produce some positive outcomes in terms of academic achievement and social skills, depending on the nature of the online activities. However, little is known in relation to both positive and negative outcomes of online behaviours during the Covid-19 Health crisis. Recent research exploring young people's online behaviours during the pandemic could contribute to expand our knowledge.
This article collection aims to better understand young people's engagement with digital communication along with the personal and contextual factors that may sustain negative online behaviours or that may facilitate the use of the Internet as a resource for adolescent socio-emotional, development and wellbeing.
The Research Topic will include research studies investigating various online risky behaviours, including cyberhate, cyberbullying, cyber-harassment, sharenting, online sexual exploitation, the non-consensual sharing of sexual images. It will also include research studies focusing on the positive correlates of online behaviours and Internet use (e.g., closeness to friends; safe identity experimentation; increased opportunities for self-disclosure) and the positive outcomes of online communication in terms of mental health and wellbeing (e.g., happiness; improved mood, self-esteem, quality of life). Contributions may present (but are not limited to) data collected during the Covid-19 health crisis. This data is expected to contribute to our knowledge of the positive and harmful online behaviours during the Covid-19 crisis and to implement intervention strategies aimed to reduce online risky behaviours.
Empirical research studies (i.e., quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods) adopting a strong theoretical background and an interdisciplinary approach are welcome. The article collection also welcomes research studies with diverse samples, along with cross-national and cross-cultural studies. Contributions may adopt (but are not limited to) a longitudinal design and may look at the developmental outcomes of online behaviours, in terms of mental health and wellbeing.
Given the centrality of online communications in young people's life, it is paramount to investigate the role of both positive and harmful online interactions in relation to adolescents' wellbeing and mental health. Unfortunately, several studies have been carried out without a strong theoretical background and without adopting a clear focus on the developmental outcomes of engaging in online communications. In addition, previous research studies have placed a strong focus on the potential harmfulness of online communications, whereas less attention has been paid to the opportunities that online communications pose in terms of socio-emotional and socio-cognitive development, social inclusion, learning, and overall quality of life and wellbeing. The role of contextual factors in shaping children and adolescents' online communications and behaviours also needs to be further investigated. For instance, more attention should be paid to the strategies adopted by parents to monitor their children's online behaviours and whether these contribute to positive outcomes (e.g., positive online peer interactions; building resilience skills to cope with negative online experiences; academic achievement).
This Research Topic aims to explore the associations between various individual (e.g., personality, empathy, popularity, resilience, socio-cognitive and socio-emotional functioning, morality) and contextual factors (e.g., school belonging, family functioning, parental mediation strategies) and online risks and opportunities for both children and adolescents. The contributions will help to clarify how children and adolescents overcome online risks and if coping successfully is associated with building new resilience skills in a developmental perspective.
Importantly, recent research suggests that the Covid-19 Health crisis has considerably increased the time that adolescents spend on the Internet. Although, there might be a risk for harmful social communications to take place online, at the same time, connecting with peers online could increase adolescent sense of belongingness and could prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness. Moreover, the extant research shows that Internet use for children can produce some positive outcomes in terms of academic achievement and social skills, depending on the nature of the online activities. However, little is known in relation to both positive and negative outcomes of online behaviours during the Covid-19 Health crisis. Recent research exploring young people's online behaviours during the pandemic could contribute to expand our knowledge.
This article collection aims to better understand young people's engagement with digital communication along with the personal and contextual factors that may sustain negative online behaviours or that may facilitate the use of the Internet as a resource for adolescent socio-emotional, development and wellbeing.
The Research Topic will include research studies investigating various online risky behaviours, including cyberhate, cyberbullying, cyber-harassment, sharenting, online sexual exploitation, the non-consensual sharing of sexual images. It will also include research studies focusing on the positive correlates of online behaviours and Internet use (e.g., closeness to friends; safe identity experimentation; increased opportunities for self-disclosure) and the positive outcomes of online communication in terms of mental health and wellbeing (e.g., happiness; improved mood, self-esteem, quality of life). Contributions may present (but are not limited to) data collected during the Covid-19 health crisis. This data is expected to contribute to our knowledge of the positive and harmful online behaviours during the Covid-19 crisis and to implement intervention strategies aimed to reduce online risky behaviours.
Empirical research studies (i.e., quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods) adopting a strong theoretical background and an interdisciplinary approach are welcome. The article collection also welcomes research studies with diverse samples, along with cross-national and cross-cultural studies. Contributions may adopt (but are not limited to) a longitudinal design and may look at the developmental outcomes of online behaviours, in terms of mental health and wellbeing.
Keywords: cyberhate, online risks, image sharing, developmental outcomes, wellbeing
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
