Digital well-being as a healthy, intentional relationship with technology¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 design), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The report defines digital well-being as "the ability to maintain a healthy, intentional relationship with technology." Rather than labeling technology as inherently good or bad, the concept emphasizes understanding both its benefits and potential harms from excessive use, while building strategies that support physical, mental, and emotional health in digital spaces, and focuses on balancing the use of devices and digital tools with broader personal and social goals. The report frames this concept as a response to growing concern about adolescent mental health and mixed evidence on social media, which can provide peer support and mental health resources while regular use has been linked to increased risks of depression and anxiety.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Effective approaches to digital well-being cannot be developed without the voices and insights of young people

Constraints¶

• The report notes the proliferation of social media has made the topic complex, with both benefits such as peer support and identity-confirming content and harms such as negative impacts on sleep, productivity, grades, and mental health

Target Learners¶

• adolescents and young people navigating digital environments

Target Learning Objectives¶

• maintaining a healthy, intentional relationship with technology that supports physical, mental, and emotional health

Claims¶

• Youth focus groups surfaced four key digital well-being challenge themes: addiction and compulsive use, impact on thinking, effects on social skills, and effects on mental health [+W]

Related Theories¶

• Technology-as-amplifier: learning technology intensifies and scales the impacts of design tradeoffs in either direction

Examples¶

• Address digital well-being with empathy, root-cause understanding, asset framing, and tech-free spaces
• Tech Talk card game prototype

Key Sources¶

• Karim, S., Liberman, B., & Trettin, S. (2025). Tech Talk: Co-Designing Youth Digital Well-Being Solutions. Digital Promise. https://doi.org/10.51388/20.500.12265/264