Research Overview

My research focuses on understanding and improving adolescent mental health by combining my background in statistics and social work. I’ve worked at several international universities, including the University of Cambridge, the KU Leuven, and the University of Michigan. My work mainly revolves around three key areas:

1. Adolescent Substance Use

My recent research looks at understanding and addressing the vaping epidemic among adolescents. Recently, we conducted a survey with over 25,000 adolescents in South Africa to explore why they vape. I’ve also published extensively on how digital media use relates to alcohol consumption in young people. Further projects investigate adolescents consumption of No- and Low-Alcoholic drinks. 

2. Digital Media and Adolescent Mental Health

I’m interested in how social inequalities and material deprivation shape young people’s access to and use of digital media. I also investigate how the link between digital media use and well-being varies for adolescents from different socioeconomic backgrounds, aiming to better understand how digital media impacts their mental health.

3. Global Mental Health

I’m currently working on a Randomized Controlled Trial in Uganda, evaluating mental health interventions for adolescents affected by armed conflict. This project is in collaboration with War Child Holland and I act as principal statistician. Previous collaborations included work on the Disrupting Harms Project by UNICEF Innocenti. A key focus of my work is finding ways to measure adolescent mental health that are meaningful and relevant in diverse cultural and social contexts.

PhD Students

Vira Dvoriak: Psychometric Networks for Youth Mental Health