Rapid advances in technology create opportunities for adolescents to influence practice and policy in health and other domains. Technology can support the scaling of Youth-Led Participatory Action Research (YPAR), in which adolescents conduct research to improve issues that affect them. We present the first known published systematic review of the use of technology to scale YPAR.
Methods
A systematic review of the empirical literature was conducted from 2000 to 2018 using databases PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, and PubMed. The review included peer-reviewed articles of YPAR studies involving adolescents (aged 10–19 years) using technology for scaling. Appraisal of papers included the role of technology and consistency with YPAR principles.
Results
Nine peer-reviewed YPAR publications focusing on a range of health issues with adolescents aged 11–19 years were identified. Technology included Facebook (most common), Twitter, Instagram, Skype, e-mail, blogs, and personalized mapping applications. Overall, technology was primarily used for adolescent participants to gather data. The appraisal revealed the complexities inherent in conducting YPAR using technology across multiple sites, with different adults in supportive roles and varying levels of opportunities for adolescent engagement.
Conclusions
This review provides insights at the intersection of youth-led research and technology, highlighting opportunities in a changing technological landscape and the challenges of YPAR at scale.
Keywords
YPAR
Adolescent
Technology
Digital
Scaling
Participatory
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Conflicts of interest: There are no conflicts of interest to report for this review or article for any of the authors.
Disclaimer: This article was published in a Supplement supported by a National Science Foundation Smart and Connected Health Grant (SCH) to Principal Investigators Elizabeth Ozer, Ph.D. and James Lester, Ph.D. (IIS-1344670 & IIS-1344803). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
