News

• WCW Contributes to Health Advisory on AI and Adolescent Wellbeing
  

  

  Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., director of the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab, contributed to the American Psychological Association's health advisory calling for guardrails and education to protect adolescent AI users.
• Mombian: LGBTQ Parenting Roundup
  The Youth, Media and Wellbeing Lab's academic review of LGBTQ youth's engagement with online spaces is featured in a Mombian roundup of recent LGBTQ parenting news.
• Learn more about where our research initiatives started, and where they are today
  

  
• The New York Times: America Is Averting Its Eyes From Something Very, Very Wrong
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares her expertise on how social media use differs by race.
• Los Angeles Times: Science doesn’t yet support broad restrictions on teens’ access to social media, experts say
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses the need for research-based decisions.
• PBS: Student Mental Health Matters | A Toolkit for Educators
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., is featured in the Social Media Overview, Social Media Benefits and Risks, and Social Media Classroom Strategies segments.
• Wellesley Magazine: A Big Idea
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., writes about looking to youth as architects of a safer digital world.
• Wired: How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Media and Mental Health
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares practical advice for parents.
• As lawmakers try to police social media, SF leaders back off
  Dr. Charmaraman discusses various regulations that should be implemented for adolescents using social media.
• "Opinion Fatigue" Is Setting In For Twitter, TikTok, & Instagram Creators
  Dr. Charmaraman provides insight into the dynamics of online discourse and what drives people to share opinions in the evolving landscape of social media.
• Linda Charmaraman, Wellesley College – When It Comes to Teens and Screens, Pets Can Have Surprising Benefits - The Academic Minute
  Dr. Charmaraman's study explores the role of pets in middle schoolers' lives during the pandemic, uncovering insights about screen time, emotional support, and social interactions.
• Wellesley College: How Linda Charmaraman and the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Lab Are Influencing the Way We Think about Social Media
  This Spotlight on Wellesley highlights Dr. Charmaraman's story and work on how social media affects its youngest and most marginalized users.
• Salon: The tricky timing of a child's first smartphone
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shared her expertise with Salon on why there is no "right age" to give kids smartphones.
• Health advisory on social media use in adolescence
  

  Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., co-authored this "Health advisory on social media use in adolescence", released by the American Psychological Association. The advisory examines potential beneficial and harmful effects of social media use on adolescents’ social, educational, psychological, and neurological development, and provides recommendations based on the scientific evidence to date.
• The Washington Post: TikTok’s trendy beauty filter ushers in new tech and new problems
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses how beauty filters can be detrimental to teens and young people.
• Research Scientist Submits Testimony to Congress on Youth, Social Media, and Mental Health
  

  

  March 2, 2023

  Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., submitted this statement for the record in connection with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's February 14, 2023 hearing, "Protecting Our Children Online." In the statement, she notes some important policy directions and research findings that apply to youth, social media, and mental health, and urges the Committee to recognize that social media can have positive as well as negative effects on youth mental health.
• The Conversation: Research on teen social media use has a racial bias – studies of white kids are widely taken to be universal
  White teens and teens of color do not have identical online experiences, explains Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D.
• Psychology Today: Is Social Media Use Really Problematic for Teens?
  Research from our Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab is cited in an article on tips to minimize social media risk.
• Research Scientist Teaches Wellesley Students How to Write for the Real World
  

  January 19, 2023

  The interdisciplinary course is focused on social technologies and adolescent development.
• Meta: How Meta Is Working to Provide Safe, Age-Appropriate Experiences for Teens
  During a summit hosted by Meta, Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., give a deep dive into the latest research on social media and teen wellbeing.
• NBC News: Agism on Social Media
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., comments on a TikTok trend and Gen Z's ideas around aging and beauty.
• Research Scientist Collaborates with Instagram to Promote Supportive Spaces Online
  

  Robin Stevens, Associate Professor at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Linda Charmaraman, and Earl Turner, Associate Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University, served as experts on the Well-being Creator Collective pilot program.Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., was invited to join an expert steering committee to advise Instagram content creators on creating supportive online content.
• Discover Magazine: Social Media May Be Changing The Way You Communicate
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses the positive and negative impacts of teen social media use. 
• The Charlatan: Online anonymity: The internet as a safe space for LGBT+ youth
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses her research on the positive impacts of social media use for sexual minority teens.
• Morgan Stanley: Parenting in the Digital Age: Fostering Well-being and Resilience
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., spoke on a panel hosted by the Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children's Mental Health. 
• Annual Summer Workshop Teaches Middle School Girls About Digital Wellbeing
  

  August 28, 2022

  The five-day program allowed students to co-design an app to promote positive social media use and featured Wellesley College students and expert speakers on STEM.
• Washington Post: Online creators are de facto therapists for millions. It’s complicated.
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses a collaboration to educate creators to help them produce responsible content on social media.
• ADHD Experts Podcast: Mental Health Out Loud: The Mental Health Fallout from Social Media Use
  On ADDitude's ADHD Experts podcast, Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses the unique ways that social media use can offer positives and negatives for neurodivergent youth. 
• ScreenStrong Families: How YouTube Impacts Middle School Development with Dr. Linda Charmaraman
  In a podcast interview, Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses her research on social media use and youth development.
• Good Morning America: Parents sue TikTok after daughter dies attempting 'blackout' social media challenge
  Dr. Linda Charmaraman shares insights from her research on youth social media use and wellbeing.
• The Social Complex: How Digital Media is Affecting Teens & Tweens
  In a podcast interview, Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses the resilience of teens and tweens in a digital world.
• ABC News: LGBTQ+ community facing increased social media bias, author says
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares research findings on LGBTQ teens' social media use.
• The Academic Minute: For LGBTQ Youth, Social Media Can Have Unexpected Benefits
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares research findings on LGBTQ teens' social media use.
• New Study Will Investigate How Discrimination Affects the Mental Health of Asian American Adolescents
  

  

  The long-term aim of the study is to develop evidence on how parents, peers, and social media can mitigate the negative health consequences of discrimination. 
• Brasil de Fato: Como as redes sociais podem fomentar o extremismo em jovens?
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses her research on youth wellbeing and social media use. (Article in Portuguese.)
• Study Examines Parents' Perspectives on the Benefits and Challenges of Adolescent Pet Companionship
  

  May 23, 2022

  Adolescents’ relationships with their pets can be very important, since adolescents are at a developmental stage when they’re relying less on their families and more on other relationships in their lives—both human and animal.
• Business Insider India: How does social media affect teenagers? Understanding the mental health impact — and why it's not all bad
  Research on body image from Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., is cited in an article on teen wellbeing.
• Now Recruiting Middle School Girls for 2022 Virtual Summer Workshop on Digital Wellbeing
  

  April 21, 2022

  Researchers are looking for middle school girls to participate in a free workshop on designing healthier social media experiences.
• New Youth Advisory Board Guides Digital Wellbeing Workshops
  

  April 1, 2022

  The Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab recently created a Youth Advisory Board to inform the development of its virtual digital wellbeing workshops.
• Verywell Health: Social Media Didn’t Cause Teens’ Pandemic Stress
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses her research on teens' social media use during the pandemic.
• Scary Mommy: TikTok For Young Kids? No Thanks
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares her expertise on the minimum age for joining social media.
• Washington Post: Instagram is touting safety features for teens. Mental health advocates aren’t buying it.
  Linda Charmaraman, PhD., contributes an expert opinion on Instagram's impact on teens.
• Scary Mommy: How Young Is Too Young For Social Media?
  Research from our Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab explores the impacts of using social media at a young age. 
• Diverse Data Samples Drive Social Change
  

  Charmaraman (center) and her former Wellesley College student interns Huiying B. Chan ’16 (left) and Budnampet Ramanudom ’18 (right) co-authored a book chapter on how and why women of color use social media to create virtual communities.Through the lens of her work on youth, media, and wellbeing, Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., explains how diverse data samples can help to better support underserved populations.
• Speaking of Psychology: How social media affects teens’ mental health and well-being, with Linda Charmaraman, PhD
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares her expertise on the mental health benefits and drawbacks of social media.
• Verywell Mind: TikTok May Be to Blame for Rising Cases of Tic Like Behaviors in Teen Girls
  

  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses a new social media trend. 
• Fast Company: How young is too young for social media? Behavioral scientists are closer to an answer
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares findings from her research on social media use in younger children.
• Joining Social Media Before Age 11 Is Associated With Problematic Digital Behaviors
  

  October 27, 2021

  A new study finds that limiting access lessens some negative effects of social media use among younger users.
• Verywell Mind: Facebook Knew Instagram Was Harmful to Mental Health of Teen Girls, Said Nothing
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares her expertise on leaked research studies about Instagram’s impact on teens.
• Verywell Family: New Study Finds Kids Who Spend More Time on Screens Have More Close Friends
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares her findings on the link between youth screen time and their social development.
• Channel Q: The Safe Spaces On Social Media for LGBTQ+ Youth
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses social media use among LGBTQ youth on the Channel Q radio show, Let's Go There.
• The Conversation: Social media gives support to LGBTQ youth when in-person communities are lacking
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares findings from a new journal article on LGBTQ youth social media use.
• The New York Times: Worried About Your Teen on Social Media? Here’s How to Help.
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares findings on middle school students' social media use.
• Middle Schoolers Learn About STEM and Digital Wellbeing During Annual Summer Workshop
  

  September 1, 2021

  Middle school students learned about STEM concepts and healthy social media use during a workshop hosted by the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab.
• ScreenStrong Families: How YouTube Impacts Middle School Development
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares findings from her research on middle schoolers' social media use.
• New Research on the Health and Wellbeing of LGBTQ+ Teens
  

  Several new studies from Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., and Jennifer M. Grossman, Ph.D., help us understand more about the experiences of LGBTQ+ teens.
• Wellesley News: Senior Snapshot: Rachel Hodes Finds Joy in an Unusual Year
  

  Wellesley College student Rachel Hodes worked with Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., during the 2020-21 academic year.
• MEDIUM: Prototyping for Social Wellbeing with Early Social Media Users
  

  Professor Catherine Delcourt, who partners with Dr. Linda Charmaraman in our Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab, discusses findings from their digital wellbeing workshops for middle school students. 
• Lifewire: Why Audio Is the Next Big Thing in Social Media
  Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses the rise of private audio chats and interactive social media.
• Now Recruiting Middle School Girls for 2021 Virtual Summer Workshop on STEM/Digital Wellbeing
  

  April 26, 2021

  We are looking for middle school girls to participate in a free virtual summer learning program that begins on July 19, 2021.
• Wellesley Weston Magazine: Promoting Healthy Social Media Use
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses the meaning of healthy social media usage in this feature in Wellesley Weston Magazine.
• New Research Looks at How Social Media Affects Adolescents' Body Image
  

  February 24, 2021

  A recently published journal article explores social media’s role in influencing adolescents' attitudes toward body image.
• Accents: Promoting Healthy Social Media Use
  WCW Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., is featured in Accents discussing teens and technology during COVID-19.
• FORBESIGNITE: Dr. Linda Charmaraman, Scientific Advisor
  

  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., has been appointed as Forbes Ignite's new Scientific Advisor. 
• Linda Charmaraman Appointed Forbes Ignite Scientific Advisor
  

  December 15, 2020

  Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., has been appointed as Forbes Ignite’s new Scientific Advisor.
• FORBESIGNITE: Dr. Linda Charmaraman
  

  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses her research on the Forbes Ignite podcast, Inner Wealth.
• Study Examines the Role of Pets in Adolescents’ Online Social Interactions
  

  A journal article co-authored by Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., explores how pets can act as either a substitute or a complement to social interactions online.
• Medical Xpress: Quantity, content, and context of social media use may affect adolescents' sleep
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., of WCW and the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab is quoted in this article describing her new study on adolescent sleep and bedtime technology habits.
• Quantity, content, and context of social media use may affect adolescents’ sleep
  

  November 2, 2020

  A new study finds that the quantity of social technology use, type of content viewed, and social context is significantly related to later bedtimes and less sleep for early adolescents.
• VeryWellHealth: Dogs Significantly Improve Teens' Social Development, New Research Finds
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., of WCW and the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab was mentioned in this article that describes the links between pet ownership and teen social development.
• Lifewire: Why is Facebook Going Back to College?
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., of WCW is quoted in this article discussing Facebook in the time of COVID-19 as it relates to incoming college students.
• WCW Hosts Workshop for Middle Schoolers on STEM, Digital Wellbeing, and Identity
  

  August 20, 2020

  The Wellesley Centers for Women teamed up with the Wellesley College Computer Science Department to host a virtual workshop that helped adolescents explore their identities, introduced them to STEM concepts, and taught them about healthy social media use.
• Education Dive: Navigating cyberbullying more difficult amid COVID-19, but there are options
  Senior Research Scientst Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., spoke with Education Dive about the positive ways middle schoolers have been using social media during COVID-19.
• Webinar Links Remote Learning, Social Technology, and Social and Emotional Learning
  

  July 31, 2020

  Two programs of the Wellesley Centers for Women collaborated to host a webinar that explored the roles of social technology and SEL in remote learning.
• Now Recruiting Middle School Students for Virtual Summer Workshop on STEM/Digital Wellbeing
  

  July 13, 2020

  The Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab is looking for middle school students to participate in a free summer learning program that begins July 27.
• When Social Distancing Collides with Social Media
  

  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares tips for parents wondering how to help their children maintain a healthy relationship with social media during isolation.
• Bay State Parent: When social distancing collides with social media
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., comments on the positive and negative impacts social media use can have during COVID-19.
• Q&A with Student Research Assistant Katie Du
  

  May 14, 2020

  Undergraduate student research assistant Katie Du reflects on her work with our Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab, and her experience as an international student at Wellesley during a pandemic.
• Your Teen Magazine: There is Plenty to be Gained from Social Media for Middle Schoolers
  Dr. Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., discusses the positive and negative impact of teen and tween social media use during COVID-19 in a video interview with Your Teen Magazine.
• Insider: How Social Media Affects The Mental Health of Teenagers
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., and her research is quoted in this article on the impact of social media on the health of teens.
• The Week: The Truth About Tweens and Screens
  

  Senior research scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., shares her insight on the different ways kids engage with and feel the effects of social media.
• Adolescent Development in an Age of Social Media
  

  January 29, 2020

  Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., served as a guest editor for a special issue of the Journal of Adolescent Research focused on adolescent and emerging adult development in an age of social media.
• Wired: I Monitor My Teens' Electronics, and You Should Too
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., director of the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab discusses the evidence for parental monitoring of online and mobile content and associated positive outcomes.
• Baystate Parent: Should You Buy Your Tween a Smartphone? An expert weighs in
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., senior research scientist, discusses some of the important factors parents should consider when thinking about purchasing a cell phone for their tweens.
• New York Post: Why Teens Shoot Video of Violence Instead of Helping
  Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., director of the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab, discusses the causes of a growing phenomenon: teens’ failure to act in situations of violence.
• Wellesley College: Wellesley Centers for Women Partners with Local Middle School to Promote Healthy Social Media Use
  

  Senior research scientist Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., helps teach middle schoolers about social media’s impact on their lives and healthy ways to use it.
• WCW Partners with Local Middle School to Promote Healthy Social Media Use
  

  July 29, 2019

  Dr. Linda Charmaraman turned her research into action when she co-led a workshop teaching middle schoolers to use social media in healthy ways.
• NIH Awards Wellesley Centers for Women Funding to Promote Undergraduate Research
  

  October 17, 2018

  NIH awarded WCW $450,000 over three years to study social media use of early adolescents while providing Wellesley College students with hands-on research opportunities.