How social media shapes teen health and risky choices
Using TDM to understand mechanisms in adolescent health and risk behavior
This project looks at how what teens post and see on social media connects with their health habits and risky behaviors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11367879 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would share what you post and what you see on social media while also answering questions about your attitudes, habits, and any alcohol or other risk behaviors. The team combines real-time social media data with surveys and brain measures to see how social content relates to intentions and actions. Researchers will link both self-created and consumed content to how your brain responds and to reported behaviors. Participation may include sharing digital content, completing questionnaires, and possibly attending an in-person visit for brain imaging.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents about 12–20 years old who use social media and are willing to share their online content, complete surveys, and possibly undergo brain imaging.
Not a fit: Younger children under 12, adults over 20, or teens who do not use social media or cannot share digital data are unlikely to be eligible or directly helped by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could inform ways to use social media and interventions to encourage healthier habits and reduce risky behaviors among teens.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies link social media exposure to teen behavior and some use brain imaging for social cues, but combining real-time social media tracking with neural measures is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: M0reno, Megan a. — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: M0reno, Megan a.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.