Adolescent Digital Well-being Research Earns Hanebutt National Recognition

(April 17, 2026) — While digital technology is now a primary environment for adolescent development, research has often lagged behind the lived experience of young people, frequently focusing on narrow metrics like “screen time.” Rachel Hanebutt, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and the Holt Family Rising Professor at the Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities, is working to change that approach by centering the voices of teens throughout the research process.

In recognition of her work to redefine digital health and wellness, the Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA) has selected Hanebutt as the 2026 recipient of the Hershel D. Thornburg Dissertation Award. Established to honor the SRA’s founding president, the award recognizes scholars who show outstanding promise in bridging the dialogue between scientists and educators regarding youth development.

Hanebutt’s award-winning dissertation, “Beyond Digital Disconnection and Screentime: Advancing the Study of Adolescent Digital Wellbeing Through Teen-Centric Methods,” addresses a critical gap in developmental psychology. The dissertation was part of her PhD work at Vanderbilt University.

Hanebutt’s research advances a more developmentally grounded framework that recognizes both risks and opportunities in young people’s online experiences. Across three studies, Hanebutt centered youth voices through teen-led focus groups, participatory co-design of a digital wellness app for teens, and quantitative scale validation of the Digital Flourishing Scale for Adolescents.

The dissertation’s findings show the value of engaging adolescents directly in research design and intervention development. The work also reflects Georgetown’s emphasis on scholarship that bridges disciplines and connects research to real-world impact. Conducted in partnership with the digital wellness nonprofit #HalfTheStory, the dissertation also demonstrates how academic research can inform school-based programs, evaluation and broader public conversations about adolescent well-being in a digital age.

The SRA selection committee praised Hanebutt’s dissertation for its “methodological rigor and contribution” to the field. The award was formally presented during the SRA Biennial Meeting in Toronto on April 17, 2026.