Teens

NSF CAREER award will support teen autonomy in age of AI

Nathan Kahl — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:45:38 +0000

NSF CAREER award will support teen autonomy in age of AI Nathan Kahl Tue, 06/09/2026 - 11:45

Adolescence has always been a time of figuring out who you are. Increasingly, that process unfolds alongside social media feeds, recommendation algorithms, and AI chatbots. 91��’s Nora McDonald received a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award for $748,000 to better understand how adolescents experience and are shaped by these artificial intelligence (AI) and other personalized digital environments, and how they can develop the skills and capacities necessary to maintain their sense of self, autonomy, and agency within them.

McDonald, an assistant professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology, has spent several years studying a growing reality of adolescent life, and one increasingly shaped by personalized AI technologies. Her research has found that social media recommendation systems and AI chatbots can serve as spaces where young people reflect on themselves, experiment with identity, and seek feedback about who they are.

McDonald's work will give teens tools to properly engage with digital technologies. iStock photo.

“Much of the public conversation has been about how algorithms influence what kids see and how we go down rabbit holes,” McDonald said. “I’m interested in a different question: How do algorithms shape self-understanding and how do teens make sense of themselves in environments that are increasingly personalized and shaped by algorithms and AI?”

McDonald’s previous research suggests that even while teenagers often view AI chatbots and recommendation systems as practical tools, those systems can become important spaces for self-exploration and self-presentation.

“Over time, teens might come to expect these systems to reflect aspects of who they are,” McDonald said. “They use them not just for help with homework or entertainment, but also to explore and understand themselves.”

Those findings raise broader questions about identity development during adolescence. If recommendation systems continually influence what young people see, what feedback they receive, and what content captures their attention, how will that affect how they see themselves?

McDonalds's CAREER project will investigate that question through what she calls a resilience framework that examines how adolescents recognize, interpret, and respond to algorithmic influence and how it relates to the coherence of their sense of self.

The research combines interviews, diary studies, surveys, and participatory design activities to better understand how adolescents interpret and respond to algorithmic systems. McDonald will recruit teenagers from across the country, beginning with qualitative studies and eventually expanding to a national survey designed to generate broader statistical insights.

One major outcome of the project will be the development of practical resources and activities designed with teenagers to help them navigate personalized digital environments.

The effort differs from traditional digital literacy initiatives that focus primarily on explaining how algorithms work. “It helps them reflect on algorithmic influence and develop strategies that are really rooted in managing attention and maintaining perspective on who they are outside of digital experiences,” McDonald said.

The CAREER award also supports substantial educational activities. McDonald plans to develop a new undergraduate course focused on algorithmic self-defense from a human-computer interaction perspective. The project will also support a youth summer institute for high school students helping young people to critically engage with AI personalized digital technologies that increasingly shape their everyday experiences.

Learn about Artificial Intelligence at George Mason

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Nora McDonald

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information sciences and technology

social media intervention

Teens

Artificial Intelligence

Research

National Science Foundation

Hybrid Learning and Prevention Program Reduces Teen Substance Use

Mary Cunningham — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 21:09:45 +0000

Hybrid Learning and Prevention Program Reduces Teen Substance Use Mary Cunningham Thu, 08/18/2022 - 17:09

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Kenneth W. Griffin, PhD, MPH

Hybrid school-based programs for preventing substance abuse offer considerable public health potential.

Professor of Global and Community Health Kenneth Griffin

Approximately 90% of adults who meet the criteria for drug addiction started using before they were 18. School-based drug abuse prevention programs can be highly effective in reducing the onset and escalation of substance use, but new strategies are needed to overcome barriers to implementing effective prevention programs, such as reduced classroom time.

A new study from Professor of Global and Community Health Kenneth Griffin shows that a hybrid school-based substance abuse prevention program was effective at reducing multiple forms of substance use among middle school students. Students who received the hybrid prevention program (combining online e-learning modules and in-class sessions) showed significantly less cigarette smoking, e-cigarette and vaping use, excess alcohol use, marijuana use, and prescription drug misuse compared to students who received standard health education.

Major barriers to successful in-class only programs include the amount of class time programs require and the challenge of implementing programs with high levels of fidelity to their original design. The hybrid program effectively addressed both of these barriers.

“Hybrid digital approaches to prevent substance use in adolescents, such as those tested in this study, offer the potential for delivering program content in a time-efficient and standardized manner,” said Griffin. “Additionally, the hybrid approach reserves class time for in-person interactive activities such as small-group discussion and skills practice, which have been shown to be core components of effective prevention programming.”

Students in the hybrid intervention group also reported increased overall health knowledge, skills knowledge, and improvements in life skills including decision-making, coping with anxiety and anger, effective communication, social skills, assertiveness, and conflict resolution.

Twenty-three middle schools across the United States participated in the study. The content for the e-learning program was adapted from the evidence-based Life Skills Training (LST) classroom program. The self-paced e-learning portion efficiently presents information and promotes knowledge acquisition, while in-person class time provided opportunities for the application and practice of the knowledge and skills taught through the online e-learning program.

“Effectiveness of a hybrid digital substance abuse prevention approach combining e-learning and in-person class sessions” was published in Frontiers in Digital Health in August 2022.

This study was funded by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse, and the program was developed by National Health Promotion Associates, where Griffin is currently a consultant. The consulting arrangement has been disclosed and approved.

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FOX5: Dr. Kenneth Griffin’s research on hybrid substance abuse program, developed by National Health Promotion Associates, could decrease teen drug use, according to new study

eander6 — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 18:50:42 +0000

FOX5: Dr. Kenneth Griffin’s research on hybrid substance abuse program, developed by National Health Promotion Associates, could decrease teen drug use, according to new study eander6 Fri, 08/05/2022 - 14:50

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Kenneth W. Griffin, PhD, MPH

New e-Learning Program Cuts Teen Drug Use by Up to 75%.

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Public Health

public health faculty

CHHS in the Media

College of Health and Human Services Department of Global and Community Health

10 Warning Signs of Teen Dating Violence

John Brandon Cantrell — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 14:38:37 +0000

10 Warning Signs of Teen Dating Violence John Brandon C… Fri, 02/18/2022 - 09:38

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Social Work Faculty

Intimate Partner Violence

Dating

Teens

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Daphne King, EdD, MSW, LCSW

Twenty-six percent of women and 15% of men who were victims of intimate partner violence reported that their first experience was before age 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey.

During Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (February), 91�� researcher Daphne King, EdD, associate professor in the Department of Social Work, continues to bring awareness to intimate partner violence in young people.

“As with adult intimate partner violence, many teenagers who experience violence in their dating relationships do not tell anyone,” said King. “It is important to look out for warning signs and check in with anyone you know experiencing any of the signs.”

One in three teens in the United States will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from someone they are in a relationship with before they become adults. Teen dating violence includes physical violence, sexual violence, psychological aggression, and stalking and can take place in person or electronically.

10 Warning Signs of Teen Dating Violence

Using insults, intimidation, or humiliation
Extreme jealousy, insecurity, or controlling behavior
Isolation from friends and family
Unwanted sexual contact of any kind
Explosive temper or unusual moodiness
Constantly monitoring social media activities or location
Invasions of privacy; showing up unannounced
Leaving unwanted items, gifts, or flowers
Abusing alcohol or drugs
Threatening or causing physical violence; scratches, bruises

“Even just one of these warning signs indicates a risk of teen dating violence and that you or the person experiencing this needs help. While some of these signs can be associated with issues other than teen dating violence, it’s important to act on red flags like these,” said King.

Parent involvement is a protective factor to safeguard teens against engaging in risky behaviors. Here are a few tips especially for parents:

Talk honestly and openly with your teen about what healthy relationships look like and that violence (verbal, physical, or sexual) has no place in a healthy relationship.
Know and recognize the signs of abuse, as well as the facts of dating violence.
Look for changes in your teen's mood, appearance, or activities; which could be an indication that something is wrong or abuse is happening. This could be things, such as a drop in grades, unexplained bruises, or a change in friends or peer group.

Teen dating violence has a lifelong impact on a person’s health and can be detrimental to a person’s physical and emotional well-being. Violence can lead to antisocial behaviors and symptoms of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and future unhealthy relationships.

There are many resources available if you or someone you know is being abused. Talked to a trusted adult or visit loveisrespect.org for support and help.

Dr. Daphne King is an assistant professor and Master of Social Work online program coordinator in the Social Work Department of 91��’s College of Health and Human Service. King’s research interests are self-esteem issues in teens and adolescents, mental health concerns and treatment modalities for women of color, specifically African-American women, and the impact engagement in Christianity or spiritual practices have on self-esteem. King is an expert in treating teens and adolescents with self-esteem issues and depression and has facilitated numerous clinical and psychoeducational groups on self-esteem issues for teens.

For more information, contact Michelle Thompson at 703-993-3485 or mthomp7@gmu.edu.

About George Mason

91�� is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility.

About the College of Health and Human Services

91��'s College of Health and Human Services prepares students to become leaders and shape the public's health through academic excellence, research of consequence, community outreach, and interprofessional clinical practice. George Mason is the fastest-growing Research I institution in the country. The College enrolls more than 1,900 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students in its nationally-recognized offerings, including: 6 undergraduate degrees, 13 graduate degrees, and 6 certificate programs. The college is transitioning to a college of public health in the near future. For more information, visit https://chhs.gmu.edu/.

Teens

NSF CAREER award will support teen autonomy in age of AI

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