Supporting Youth Access to Research Dissemination through Digital Media: Analysis of Mental Health Impacts.

Research outputs towards dissemination - such as journal articles and academic conferences - may be difficult to access for marginalized youth, despite the fact that engaging youth in this access can 1) help them equitably benefit from the existing research evidence-base while 2) mobilizing new generations towards research utilization and application. A pilot study was conducted to assess digital media as an alternative tool for disseminating research to marginalized youth. Specifically, this article focuses on the mental health implications of communicating research to marginalized youth via digital media. Grounded in the perspectives of marginalized youth themselves, the three-phase study includes an exploratory literature review, a first round of interviews (n = 5) to refine the interview guide, and a second round of interviews with marginalized youth (n = 8) for a pilot investigation. Mental health impacts are analyzed with six emerging themes, with findings below. First, youth self-censor and can experience constant fear even in expressing support for a piece of digital media. Second, youth report intentionally seeking negative emotional experiences via digital media for personal growth and development. Third, youth can successfully receive transformational knowledge via digital media; yet, the inability to communicate this knowledge to peers and the powerlessness they can experience from being unable to utilize this knowledge can result in greater isolation. Lastly, the intrinsic link between digital media and creation of online communities around a common interest could be further explored towards successful research dissemination and utilization in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]