Category: Colloquium

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Colloquium Youth

Our Favorite Quotes: 2023 TAM Colloquium Youth Panel

The Technology and Adolescent Mental Wellness (TAM) Colloquium took place on Thursday, January 12, 2023. It was a great opportunity for us to hear from each part of the TAM community including TAM Data Consortium recipients, YAB Initiative groups, and our very own TAM Youth Advisory Board (YAB) panel.

The TAM YAB was created alongside the TAM Community in 2019. Since its inception, we have always tried to include our youth in as many aspects of the conversation around technology and adolescent mental wellbeing as possible. One way we have been reaching this goal is to include each year’s TAM YAB members in a youth panel at the colloquium. We are always in awe of the thoughts and perspectives that our youth share during the panel.

Here are some of our favorite YAB quotes from the TAM YAB panel:

Q: What kind of questions should researchers be asking about social media and mental wellness?

A: Adults focus on the negatives, but there are a lot of positives, such as using it to connect with others.

A: There are different ways to use social media that aren’t talked about. I don’t post as much and follow my favorite celebrities and musicians while others post a lot.

Q: What have been some helpful ways adults have talked to you about technology?

A: It is important to take break and find a balance between screen free activities and screen activities.

A: We want to hear advice about social media from people who actually use it.

Q: What does online safety mean to you?

A: Online safety to me means keeping yourself and your privacy safe online. If you don’t want people to know something, don’t put it online. Be careful who you are talking to and be aware of your digital footprint.

Q: What have been some helpful ways doctors or therapists have talked to you about technology use?

A: I wouldn’t mind my doctor asking me questions about my social media use.

Q: How do you use technology to get yourself out of a bad mood?

A: When I’m in a bad mood I turn to music. I try to avoid TikTok because it is too serious.

A: I tend to like Instagram memes and YouTube when I’m in a bad mood.

A: Sometimes I use social media to get out of regular life.

A: I call a friend.

Q: How do you avoid the ‘bad stuff’ on social media?

A: I block accounts, especially on TikTok, if they make me uncomfortable or are posting about bad things.

For more information about the TAM YAB visit tamprogram.org/tam-youth.

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Colloquium

TAM Colloquium Q&A withReese Hyzer: TAM YAB Staff Lead

Written by: Garrett Waterman

The Technology and Adolescent Mental Wellness program (TAM) works to answer the foundational question: How can technology support adolescent mental wellness? . Part of this initiative includes hosting a virtual colloquium split into three segments: the TAM Data Consortium, a TAM Youth Advisory Board panel, and the YAB Initiative. The 2023 virtual colloquium is scheduled for Thursday January 12, 2023. Learn more at tamprogram.org

Q: Could you please introduce yourself?

My name is Reese Hyzer (she/her), and I’m a client-based researcher on the Social Media and Adolescent Health Research Team (SMAHRT). I graduated from UW–Madison with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and certificates in global health and gender and women’s studies. In 2021, I earned a master’s degree in education and am currently working toward my PhD in school psychology at Loyola University in Chicago.

Q: How would you describe your role within the TAM Program?

I am the staff lead for the TAM Youth Advisory Board (YAB). This means that I am involved in recruiting TAM YAB members, scheduling and facilitating meetings, and helping to incorporate youth voices and perspectives into the TAM Colloquium.

Q: What is the TAM Colloquium in general and why is it important?

The TAM Colloquium is a time for members of the TAM community to come together to learn from each other and collaborate on ways to improve adolescent mental wellness with technology.

Q: Who will be at the Colloquium, and what is a general overview of the day?

A variety of different professionals attend the TAM colloquium. There is a great mix of researchers from different institutions as well as members of the YAB Initiative. Chelsea can tell you more about this!

Q; Why do you think it is important to include adolescents in the discussion?

It’s important to include adolescents because TAM is focused on adolescent mental wellness. Incorporating a youth perspective helps researchers identify topics that are especially relevant to adolescents today and leads to better research overall. The youth panel is also a great way to empower youth to share their own experiences with technology and social media. Oftentimes, adults talk about youth technology use without considering their perspectives. The youth panel allows for adolescents to join in on the conversation as key stakeholders.

Q: What makes you most excited about the 2023 TAM Colloquium?

I am the most excited for the youth panel. We have a great TAM YAB this year, and it’ll be great to hear their thoughts and perspectives about technology and adolescent mental wellness!

Link to Meisi’s blog post [MB1]

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Colloquium

2023 TAM Colloquium with Dr. Chelsea Olson

Written by: Meisi Li

The Technology and Adolescent Mental Wellness program (TAM) is a community of stakeholders interested in generating novel research to answer this foundational question: How can technology support adolescent mental wellness? Annually, the community gathers together at the TAM Colloquium, an event to engage in discussions about technology use and mental wellbeing of youth.

Chelsea Olson, PhD, the program lead for the TAM Program, works closely on the TAM Data Consortium and in planning and executing the TAM Colloquium. She has a PhD in educational psychology from UW–Madison, and also serves as a scientist on SMAHRT. Today, we’re delighted to have Dr. Olson provide more information for the upcoming 2023 TAM Colloquium.

Q: Why is the TAM Colloquium important?

A: The goal of the colloquium is to create community, promote new ideas for research and collaborations, and learn about the important work people within TAM are doing.

Q: Who will be at the Colloquium?

A: We welcome anyone who is interested in technology use and the mental wellness of adolescents to attend the colloquium. Members of the TAM community will be in attendance, including researchers at all levels in their careers and education, youth, clinical providers, educators, and those involved in various industries.

Q: What is a general overview of the day?

A: A general overview of the day includes a TAM Data Consortium session, in which recipients of TAM data will present rapid talks on their projects; an expert panel with reporters and researchers led by Dr. Yalda Uhls which will explore how reporters can and do report on technology use and mental wellness; a Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Initiative session, in which groups from around the country who received funds from TAM to start a YAB will present updates on their progress; and last, a Q&A panel with youth from our TAM YAB.

Q: Why do you think it is important to include adolescents in the discussion?

A: When doing research on adolescents, it is important to learn from adolescents about their lived experiences because they know best about what is salient to them and their lives. It is always exciting and invigorating to hear from youth about their experiences and perspectives and how we as researchers can conduct the best possible research on technology use and mental wellness of adolescents.

Q: What makes you most excited about the 2023 TAM Colloquium?

A: I’m excited to learn from the TAM community about the important work they’ve been doing. I also think the panel session with experts and reporters will be a really interesting panel that I will learn a lot from.

The 2023 TAM Colloquium is scheduled for Thursday, January 12, 2023. Interested in attending the colloquium and learning more about the technology use and adolescent mental wellness? Fill out this Qualtrics survey today or email tamprogram@pediatrics.wisc.edu.