Gansner Lab | Digital Phenotyping Study

• This study’s goal is to better understand how youth encounter drug and alcohol-related content online and on social media.
• To understand how exposure to drug and alcohol-related content online might influence youth substance use.
• The study also aims to understand how negative online experiences or mood symptoms might impact how youth may be influenced by the drug and alcohol-related content they visualize online.

There is currently limited research detailing the online locations where youth most commonly encounter this content or demonstrating the exact nature of the relationship between seeing high-risk content and substance use. Participation will help improve the guidance that is currently offered to teenagers and their families about substance use, and help researchers in designing digital treatments that might be able to help youth struggling with managing their substance use. 

Target Demographics: 125 US youth, 15-18 years old (including 18)

FID: 89389

Inclusion Criteria for All Participants:

1. Male, Female or Non-Binary
2. Between 15 and 18 years old at the time of consent/assent
3. Fluent in English
4. Access to a smartphone
5. Ability to engage in research procedures
6. Any drug or alcohol use in the three months prior to enrollment

Exclusion Criteria for All Participants:

1. Infrequent access to smartphone (e.g. only allowed use of personal smartphone on weekends)
2. Daily substance use
3. Inability to obtain parental/guardian consent for participants 15-17 years of age