With contributions from over 30 experts, and dispelling common myths, this is a practical and evidence-based guide into the benefits of social media and how it can be used beneficially by both children and adolescents.
Michelle O’Reilly (BSc [hons], MSc, MA, PhD, PGCAPHE) is an Associate Professor of Communication in Mental Health at the University of Leicester and a Research Consultant for Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. Michelle is also a Chartered Psychologist in Health. Michelle has specific interest in child and adolescent mental health and has been investigating the relationship between mental health and social media as part of that work. Michelle has made several media contributions about the research with adolescents, educationalists, and parents, as funded by the Wellcome Trust. Additional to her research interests in mental health and social media, Michelle also undertakes research in self-harm and suicidal behaviour, neurodevelopmental conditions, and child mental health services, such as mental health assessments and family therapy. Michelle recently won the Anselm Strauss Award for Qualitative Family Research for her co-authored contribution on discursive psychology in this area. Michelle has expertise in qualitative methodologies and specialises in discursive psychology and conversation analysis.
Nisha Dogra (BM DCH FRCPsych MA [Socio-legal studies, children], Postgraduate Certificate in Systemic Practice, PhD) is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry Education at the Greenwood Institute of Child Health, University of Leicester. She is an external lecturer on the MMedSci Medical Education Masters at the University of Nottingham. She was until her retirement working as a generic child and adolescent psychiatrist. Currently, her work in child mental health is focused on how young people see the relationship between mental health and social media. Throughout her career Nisha was been involved in the development and delivery of a wide variety of teaching and training events in undergraduate and postgraduate education, locally, nationally, and internationally in both psychiatry and diversity. She has published widely including peer reviewed publications, edited and written books as well as contributing chapters to edited books related to psychiatry and education.
Diane Thembekile Levine (BA [QTS], MRes, MA, PhD) is Deputy Director of the Leicester Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Leicester. She began her career as a primary school teacher, before spending many years working in public service as a commissioner, translator and senior manager of an evidence function in national government. Di’s research interests focus on interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the ways – including digitally-mediated ways – children and young people develop their resilience pathways. In particular, she works with collaborators in South Africa and Kenya to raise the voices of under-represented young people in majority world contexts in research and practice. Di has published both in academic journals and as co-author of Oxford University Press’ best-selling textbooks on computing for 4-14-year olds.
Verónica Donoso is (PhD in Social Sciences [KU Leuven, Belgium], MA in education and BA in linguistics [Universidad de Chile]). Verónica is a Research Associate at the Institute for Media Studies (IMS), University of Leuven (KU Leuven) and an independent consultant specialised in children, digital technologies & online safety with more than 18 years of experience on research and policy work. She provides advice and works with organisations committed to improving digital literacy and to better protect children online. Through her career Verónica has advised several organisations including the United Nations, the European Commission and UNICEF, and she has written several pieces which have served to inform researchers, practitioners, and policymakers both in the EU and worldwide. Before becoming an independent consultant, Verónica was INHOPE’s Executive Director. INHOPE is the leading global network combatting online Child Sexual Abuse Material. Verónica currently serves on the Global Kids Online International advisory group.
