Development and Feasibility Evaluation of an Intervention Program Directed to Parents and Professionals to Reduce the Engagement of Adolescents in Online Risks Behaviors

• Grant number: 23/11879-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2024
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Human Development Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Alex Sandro Gomes Pessoa
• Grantee: Alex Sandro Gomes Pessoa
• Host Investigator: Andrew James Campbell
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Research place: University of Sydney, Australia

Abstract

Despite the relevance of access to technology, researchers have been concerned about the impact that the excessive use of technological tools can have on the development of children and adolescents, especially when their use is accompanied by harmful behaviors and poor supervision by parents or other adults. As such, the internet occupies a risk or protection role for the development of children and adolescents, depending on its use and the quality of supervision they receive. Given this premise, a mixed-method research project, structured in two complementary studies, is proposed to be conducted in Australia and Brazil in order to compare the results between the countries to determine cross-cultural similarities and provide broader international recommendations on how to mitigate developmental risk in online engagements in youth populations. In Study 1, we will conduct focus groups with young people, parents, and professionals to identify the main concerns and challenges that adolescents face on the internet and social media. Data from both countries will be analyzed through thematic analyses. Findings will inform content development for education videos produced in the second study. Study 2 aims to develop and evaluate the feasibility of an intervention program, which will be applied online (via an app or website) to asynchronously, guide professionals and parents on how to supervise youth in the use of the internet and social media, as well as to minimize the engagement of adolescents in online risks behaviors. Although Study 1 will be crucial to organizing the content of the videos (Study 2), based on the previously literature, we believe that the topics of the intervention will include: time spent on the internet; social media and safety; cyberbullying; sexting; online gaming; cyberstalking; online grooming; instigation to commit suicide; inappropriate approaches from adults; how to ask for help. The feasibility of the intervention will be assessed before (T1) and after (T2) the involvement of the participants in the program. The following instruments will be used in Study 2: (i) Sociodemographic questionnaire; (ii) Questionnaire to evaluate the perceptions and abilities of adults to reduce the engagement of adolescents in online risks behavior; (iii) Questionnaires to evaluate the program and its content. If the results of both studies provide a robust evidence base for risk education and management, the findings will be used to develop to content from iterative feedback (Study 2) to improve the quality of the videos produced. It is proposed that a larger study (efficacy) may be developed, post studies 1 and 2. This research will contribute to adult education to engage themselves in reducing risk behaviors of adolescents online, formulated by a user experience evidence-base. Overall findings will illustrate a social technology approach to digital citizenship, which aims to support parents and professionals in positive educational practices cross-culturally between an English and Portuguese speaking population.