Research Questions
The project addresses key questions including:
- What digital activities do children aged 8–10 engage in, and what meanings do they attach to them?
- How do these activities shape children’s emotional and psychological experiences?
- How do children regulate their digital activity and emotional responses?
- How do parents’ and teachers’ perspectives compare with children’s lived experiences?
- How can insights into digital activity and wellbeing inform effective, family-focused interventions?
Methodology
The project is organised into five interconnected work packages:
Understanding children’s digital lives
Creative and participatory research with children, alongside interviews with parents and teachers, will explore children’s digital activities, emotional responses, and strategies for managing their experiences.
Co-Designing measurement tools
The project will adapt and develop child- and parent-report versions of a digital activity framework through workshops, expert consultation, and iterative testing to ensure clarity, relevance, and usability.
Psychometric validation
Large-scale data collection with families will evaluate the reliability and validity of the new tools, ensuring they are robust, developmentally appropriate, and applicable across diverse populations.
Developing an intervention platform
Findings will inform the co-design of a family-focused digital wellbeing intervention, including a theory of change, prototype resources, and a delivery framework to support positive digital engagement.
Dissemination and impact
The project will engage academic, policy, and public audiences through publications, events, and accessible resources, ensuring that findings translate into real-world impact.