Social Media Friends From Afterschool are Associated With Positive Youth Development in Digital Settings

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Psychology
• Digital Media Studies
• Youth Development Programs

Background:

• Positive youth development (PYD) is traditionally studied in family, school, and afterschool settings.
• Emerging research suggests digital contexts, like social media, may also foster PYD skills and thriving.
• The 5 Cs model (competence, confidence, connection, character, caring) is a key framework for understanding PYD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the connection between middle school youth's in-person and online social networks.
• To determine if these network connections relate to PYD-aligned beliefs and behaviors on social media.
• To explore the role of afterschool programs in the digital lives of adolescents.

Main Methods:

• Survey methodology assessing social media use and network connections.
• Analysis of how afterschool and school peer networks integrate into online social environments.
• Examination of PYD-related social media behaviors in relation to network composition.

Main Results:

• Middle school youth incorporate peers from afterschool programs into their online networks.
• Adolescents with afterschool and school friends engaged in PYD-related social media behaviors more frequently.
• No correlation was found between time spent in afterschool programs and social media outcomes.

Conclusions:

• In-person social connections, particularly from afterschool programs, can positively influence online PYD behaviors.
• Youth development professionals should consider the intersection of digital and in-person contexts for adolescent growth.
• Further research is needed on afterschool programs' influence on middle schoolers' social media engagement.