My doctoral research investigates the relationship between gaming, identity development, and psychosocial well-being of adolescents. Currently, there is a lack of sufficient knowledge in this area, making it challenging to develop practical guidelines for parents, educators and professionals. By gaining insight into this relationship, we aim to develop effective strategies to meet the needs of gaming adolescents. This should contribute to a positive (social) identity development, particularly in a world where online and offline aspects intertwine in a hybrid environment.

This doctoral research focuses on providing insights through a mixed-methods design. The findings will be translated into practical guidelines in collaboration with parents, professionals, educators, and adolescents. These guidelines will be integrated into the curricula and practices of relevant stakeholders and educational institutions. Longitudinal data from the Digital Youth project at Utrecht University will be used for quantitative analysis. Qualitative data will be collected through symbolic netnography, interviews, and participatory observations with adolescents and (professional) educators.

This doctoral research is a collaboration between Youth Studies, Interdisciplinary Sciences at Utrecht University, and Lectorate Youth at Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (HU). Prof. Dr. Marloes Kleinjan (UU/Trimbos) serves as the promotor, with Dr. Margot Peeters as co-promotor from UU, and Dr. Saskia Wijsbroek as co-promotor from Lectorate Youth from HU.