The Mental Health and Well-Being of Children and Adolescents in the Digital Age

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 627

Special Issue Editors

Department of Intervention Services and Leadership in Education, College of Applied Studies, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS 67260, USA
Interests: career counseling and assessments; cross-cultural counseling

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Guest Editor
Department of Intervention Services and Leadership in Education, College of Applied Studies, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS 67260, USA
Interests: youth and adults in correctional settings; mental health in athletics and suicide

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Guest Editor
Department of Intervention Services and Leadership in Education, College of Applied Studies, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS 67260, USA
Interests: the impact of poverty in counseling; play therapy; the effects of trauma on children

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Guest Editor
Department of Intervention Services and Leadership in Education, College of Applied Studies, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS 67260, USA
Interests: creativity; athletes’ mental health; the mind-body connection; applied interventions; individual experiences

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Guest Editor
Research, Assessment and Evaluation, Foundations of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Interests: quantitative research methods and statistics (longitudinal modeling, structural equation modeling, multilevel modeling, etc.); marriage and family studies; educational motivation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, children and adolescents face unique challenges and experiences that previous generations did not encounter. While technology offers unprecedented opportunities for connection, entertainment, and learning, there is a growing concern about its potential negative impacts on their mental health and well-being.

According to a 2023 report by the United Nations, over 1 billion children are exposed to violence annually, 36.5 million children have been displaced due to conflicts and crises, and 10–20% of children and adolescents are experiencing mental health issues.

This Special Issue aims to gain a deeper understanding of the multifaceted factors influencing child and adolescent mental health and well-being across various domains and diverse cultures. We seek to examine the latest quantitative and qualitative data, explore relevant theories and their implications, apply research findings in real-world settings, inform and shape policies promoting mental health, and showcase groundbreaking research and interventions.

Our goal is to catalyze positive change by fostering a deeper understanding of mental health and well-being of children and adolescents in the digital age. We invite submissions from researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and advocates who share our commitment to improving the lives of children and adolescents. Join us in this crucial conversation by submitting your research, insights, and solutions to help shape the future of children and adolescents regarding their well-being and mental health.

Dr. Jason Li
Dr. Philip Mullins
Dr. Susan Bray
Dr. Claire Gregory
Dr. Xun Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • well-being
  • mental health
  • suicide prevention
  • family dynamics
  • substance use
  • cyberbullying
  • social media
  • online safety
  • school-based interventions

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 624 KiB  
Article
Media Multitasking Scale: Validation Study with Portuguese Adolescents
by Luísa Campos, Bárbara Nobre, Catarina Morais, Lurdes Veríssimo, Pedro Dias and Jiutong Luo
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(3), 187; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030187 - 19 Mar 2025
Viewed by 314
Abstract
The increasing presence of digital media has amplified the need to study media multitasking (both multiple media activities simultaneously and using media while doing non-media activities). Media Multitasking Scale (MMS) has been used to assess this phenomenon, but it is yet to be [...] Read more.
The increasing presence of digital media has amplified the need to study media multitasking (both multiple media activities simultaneously and using media while doing non-media activities). Media Multitasking Scale (MMS) has been used to assess this phenomenon, but it is yet to be validated for a Portuguese population. This study analysed the validity of a Portuguese Version of the MMS (n = 171 Portuguese adolescents) based on inter-item correlations and confirmatory factor analysis. The results suggest changes in the original version to reflect more recent digital media tendencies for a better fit to the Portuguese adolescents’ sample. Additionally, results showed that Multitasking with Media and Non-Media and Concentration Without Multitasking were partially predictors of mental health problems (predictive validity), highlighting the scale’s utility in assessing media multitasking behaviours and their impact on psychological well-being. Full article
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