Colloquium on „A Lifespan Perspective on Media Use: Early Interventions and Longitudinal Study Designs“

Media is increasingly shaping our daily lives – yet there remains a significant need for research into its long-term effects on mental health and child development. An international colloquium held at the Research and Treatment Center for Mental Health (FBZ) on July 22 and 23 brought together various prespectives from multiple disciplines, including clinical child and adolescent psychology, clinical adult psychology, and developmental psychology. The goal of the colloquium was to develop key questions for future research.

The two-day event was titled “A Lifespan Perspective on Media Use: Early Interventions and Longitudinal Study Designs” Keynote Speaker were the developmental psychologist Prof. Dr. Rachel Barr from Georgetown University in Washington. Other speakers included Prof. Dr. Anett Sundqvist (Linköping University), Dr. Isabel Brandhorst (University Hospital Tübingen), Apl.-Prof. Dr. Julia Brailovskaia (FBZ), Laura Derks (LWL University Clinic Hamm), and Neele Hermesch (Ruhr University Bochum).

The event began on July 22 with tours of the FBZ facilities and the Department of Developmental Psychology. Both institutions jointly organized the colloquium. Throughout the event, it became clear which next steps are necessary to advance research on media use. A key outcome was the call for improved data quality, particularly regarding the impact of media on early childhood development and adolescence. 

First, researchers emphasized the need to account for the complexity of media usage – including environmental and social factors that influence media behavior, as well as daily fluctuations in usage patterns. Second, greater attention must be given to vulnerable groups, such as those with low socioeconomic status, and how their media use may differently influence child mental health and development. Third, there were calls for more longitudinal studies and intervention research in order to uncover not only correlations but also causal mechanisms. Fourth, another important aspect was the need to better integrate the subjective perspectives of media users – for example, understanding the functions media serves in their daily lives and the motivations behind its use. 

Several proposed solutions for improving the data landscape included:

• Conducting focus groups with previously underrepresented vulnerable populations, such as families with low socioeconomic status
• Involving parents, children and adolescents in shaping rules for media use
• Sharing research findings with focus groups to actively incorporate their perspectives
• Adapting existing manuals for promoting mental health to include media use considerations
• Strengthening scientific networks and collaborations, for example through in-person meetings like this colloquium
• Establishing low-threshold interventions to better reach affected populations

In the long term, the consensus was that once a robust data foundation is in place, these insights should lead to differentiated recommendations and guidelines at both the national and international levels. 

This event was organized by Melanie Bunz. If you have any questions about the event, she will be happy to hear from you via e-mail.