ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in children's and adolescents’ psychological, social, and physical well-being. Though we primarily focus on the impact on well-being, we put emphasis on the depiction of the complex relationships among ICT use, well-being, and other influential factors. This is illustrated in an introductory conceptual model of inter-relationships between children's and adolescents’ characteristics, types of ICT use, and the short- and long-term effects on well-being. Using several selected indicators for well-being, we explain the mechanisms of how ICT impacts well-being (and vice versa) and how the different well-being indicators can be situated within a research framework. We also comment on the methodological challenges of current and future research on ICT and well-being.
