E-MOTION : The influence of social media on the mental health of young athletes

1. Preparation phase 

This phase includes a structured review of the scientific literature, identification of key digital-risk indicators (social media use, hyper-connectivity, cyberbullying, sleep, stress, coping strategies), development of standardized questionnaires and study protocols, and coordination with local educational and sport partners.

2. Longitudinal monitoring and educational intervention 

Young athletes will be followed longitudinally with repeated assessments at several time points to capture changes in digital behaviours, mental health indicators, and coping strategies.

In parallel, an education-focused intervention programme will be implemented, including: interactive workshops delivered within the sport-school environment, educational modules on digital risks, healthy online behaviours, and self-regulation strategies, guided group discussions supervised by trained professionals, development and use of digital support tools (including reporting and access to help resources).

This phase aims not only to observe associations between social media use and mental health, but also to actively test preventive and safeguarding strategies in real-life sport settings.

3. Analysis and knowledge transfer

Quantitative and qualitative data will be analysed to evaluate: changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours, the effectiveness of the educational components, perceived usefulness and acceptability of the tools.

The results will be disseminated through scientific publications, professional conferences, and practical recommendations for sport federations, schools, and policy-makers, with the objective of supporting long-term integration of digital-health education in youth sport systems.