Aura Launches Clinical Study to Assess the Link Between Technology Use and the Mental Wellness of Our Children

Study aims to measure impact of technology usage on youth mental health outcomes

BOSTON, Dec 10, 2024 – Aura, the leading all-in-one online safety solution for individuals and families, is announcing the launch of an observational study (TECHWISE: “Technology Exposure and Child Health: Wellness Impact and Social Effects”) aimed at understanding the relationship between technology usage and mental wellness outcomes in our children. 

Over the last decade, we have seen a seismic shift in the way kids use technology.  The CDC reports adolescents spend 7.5 hours a day in front of a screen. That's more than three months of the year. At the same time, we see expanding instances of sleep deprivation, reductions in physical activity and skyrocketing rates of mental health issues in children, particularly depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation.  According to a recent study, rates of depression among children aged 12 to 17 nearly doubled to 16 percent in the 10 year period between 2009 and 2019. 

There have been a number of studies investigating the relationship between technology use and mental health, but the findings remain mixed. Some research indicates negative associations between social media use and mental health problems, while others suggest positive outcomes or even no relationship at all. This inconsistency may stem from reliance on self-reported data, which often lacks objectivity.

“There’s no more high-profile debate than that around the role of technology in mental health outcomes among kids, but the truth is that there will be no resolution in this argument without better data about what is actually going on, and Aura is uniquely positioned to get the types of quality data that experts have agreed is necessary,” said Dr. Scott Kollins, Chief Medical Officer at Aura and Principal Investigator of TECHWISE. “The stakes are too high to accept ambiguity in this research. Through this study, we aim to conclusively determine how technology usage is related to mental wellness and associated outcomes.”

The TECHWISE Study aims to fill this gap by capturing digital media usage patterns and correlating them with real-world mental health metrics collected from children, adolescents and their caregivers.  

“Children and adolescents are using interactive screen media more than ever. Parents, educators, clinicians, and policymakers wonder and worry about the effects of this use on young people’s wellbeing. Existing research can be inconclusive and difficult to generalize to youth of concern. TECHWISE has the potential to address important gaps in the scientific evidence, providing direct insights into adolescents’ online behaviors,” said Dr. Michael Rich, Boston Children’s Hospital Digital Wellness Lab. “Its findings can help families, educators, clinicians, and policymakers address the ultimate goal of more effectively managing young people’s use of interactive media in ways that benefit rather than harm their physical, social, and mental health.”

Participants will complete a range of validated assessments measuring psychiatric, social, and peer functioning physical activity; digital stress; loneliness; and aspects of positivity and thriving. These assessments will take place at Baseline and monthly throughout the three-months that they are participating. Participants will also complete daily mood, stress and sleep ratings. Kids and caregivers can sign up to participate in the TECHWISE study throughout 2025 and participants are eligible to receive compensation for their time completing the study assessments. For more information about the TECHWISE Study and how to participate, please visit aura.com/techwise or contact us at AuraResearchSupport@aura.com.

Innovating in Digital Family Safety and Wellness

Parents or caregivers of study participants will gain free, early access to first-of-their-kind features from Aura that are currently in development. These features are meant to help provide parents with device usage insights and online behavior monitoring capabilities, while prioritizing the child’s privacy.

“Parents have always kept a pulse on their kids’ well-being by taking note of who their kids are with, where they are, and what they’re doing. But today, your child could be sitting on the other end of the couch and you can’t answer those three questions,” said Dr. Kollins. “With these developmental features, Aura is exploring new ways to help parents answer those fundamental questions for their child’s safety, health, and happiness.”

These new experimental insights include:

• Digital Snapshot - Each day, Aura will provide a child’s daily digital snapshot score based on the child’s daily screen time and device usage statistics. It allows for parents to get an understanding of the length and frequency of their child’s use of their device.
• Daily Routine - With Daily Routine, Aura will provide parents a view into a child’s daily screen time, app usage analysis, expressed tone on social platforms and their social interactions by platform. 

ABOUT AURA

Aura is one of the fastest growing online safety solutions for individuals and families. Whether you're protecting yourself, your kids, or your aging loved ones, Aura can meet your needs at every stage of life. Customers trust Aura's simple interface to effortlessly safeguard the things they care about most. Through real-time monitoring and alerts, Aura helps detect and mitigate emerging online threats, such as scams, predators and cyberbullying. To discover how Aura is reshaping online safety for people everywhere, visit www.aura.com.