Understanding how digital media affects teen substance use
Official title: Use of Digital Phenotyping to Understand Digital Media Influence on Adolescent Substance Use
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11086626 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how seeing drug and alcohol content on social media affects teens' choices about using substances, using smartphone data to track what they watch and how it relates to their behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $194,891 |
| NIH project number | 5K23DA055916-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11086626 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents under 18 years old who engage with digital media and may be at risk for substance use.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are over 18 years old or do not use digital media may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how exposure to drug and alcohol-related content on digital media influences substance use among adolescents. By utilizing digital phenotyping, the study will collect data from smartphones to track media exposure and substance use behaviors in real-time. This approach aims to provide a clearer picture of how different media platforms impact teens' decisions regarding drugs and alcohol, addressing the complexities of adolescent substance use in today's digital age.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for preventing substance use among adolescents by understanding the role of digital media.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that digital media can influence adolescent behavior, but this specific approach using digital phenotyping is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gansner, Meredith — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Gansner, Meredith
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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.