Adolescent Social Media Use:
Parenting and Decision-Making Associations with Risk
How do parenting practices and adolescents’ decision-making styles influence digital risk? Join the Health Psychology Division for a research-informed conversation about adolescent social media engagement, online safety and well-being in South Africa.
About the Webinar
Adolescents’ widespread engagement with social media has intensified concerns about problematic use and exposure to online risk behaviours. This session explores how social media parenting practices and adolescent decision-making styles intersect to shape digital risk outcomes.
Drawing on research from the Healthy Adolescent Behaviours: Investigating Trajectories in South Africa (HABITS) project, the discussion will examine patterns of high daily engagement, including entertainment and influencer-driven content consumption. It will also consider how limited parental monitoring and maladaptive decision-making styles may increase vulnerability to problematic use and exposure to self-harm-related content.
Learning Outcomes
Participants will have the opportunity to:
- 1Explore adolescent social media engagement patterns and associated digital risks.
- 2Understand how parenting practices and parental monitoring influence adolescents’ online behaviour.
- 3Examine the relationship between decision-making styles, problematic use and exposure to harmful content.
- 4Apply health psychology perspectives to adolescent digital well-being.
- 5Consider prevention and family-centred intervention strategies.
Meet the Presenter
Prof Eugene Lee Davids
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology • University of Pretoria
Prof Eugene Lee Davids is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria, with an interdisciplinary background in psychology and public health. His research focuses on the social determinants of health and well-being among adolescents and emerging adults, particularly health-related decision-making.
He leads the Healthy Adolescent Behaviours: Investigating Trajectories in South Africa (HABITS) project, a large, multi-phase research programme generating contextually relevant evidence on adolescent health and development. His work aims to inform evidence-based interventions, policy and prevention strategies that promote healthier developmental pathways for young people.
HPCSA registration: Registered Counsellor • PRC 0021270
Who Should Attend?
Psychologists, mental health practitioners, researchers, educators, students and professionals working with adolescents and families who are interested in digital well-being, health-related decision-making and prevention.