Digital technologies are now an integral part of adolescents' everyday lives. Smartphones, social media, video games, and messaging apps increasingly shape how young people communicate, maintain friendships, stay informed, and engage with the world around them. As these technologies become more deeply embedded in adolescent life, governments worldwide are grappling with difficult questions: how should they respond to growing concerns about adolescent mental health? Which risks are supported by evidence? Which interventions are most likely to help? And how can policymakers act responsibly when the science continues to evolve?
Through deep, thoughtfully framed conversations with 85 young people ages 13-17 in five cities across Greece, plus an extensive literature review, the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) examined young people’s relationship to smartphones, social media, and other digital technologies.
The report, Growing Up Digital: An Evidence-to-Policy Synthesis, was developed in collaboration with the Child Mind Institute and support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) as part of its SNF Global Health Initiative (GHI). The report was presented live at SNF Nostos 2026, organized in celebration of the Foundation’s 30th anniversary.
Read the report