Adolescent flourishing in a digitally connected world: A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis

Learning, playing and socialising through online technologies and platforms is an important part of growing up in a post-digital world. Schools and education systems are increasingly expected to respond to these shifts, ensuring that adolescents are supported to engage with digital technologies in ways that promote flourishing. Yet, global policy responses are increasingly dominated by interventionist policies that emphasise risk reduction and harm prevention. While important, it is equally critical to understand how digital technologies can be harnessed to support positive psychological, social and educational development. To address this need, we conducted a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis of 90 studies published since 2014 across 26 countries, examining how adolescents experience flourishing through their engagement with digital technologies. The review was limited to qualitative studies that directly captured adolescent voices through their own narrative accounts, ensuring that young people’s perspectives were foregrounded. Guided by the tenets of Self-Determination Theory, the analysis generated ten subthemes organised under the core categories of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. This synthesis demonstrates how these conceptually distinct dimensions are interconnected and collectively contribute to adolescent wellbeing in digitally connected contexts. A recurring theme was the distinctive value of online spaces for underrepresented adolescents, who frequently relied on them for identity expression, supportive peer networks, and meaningful friendships. The findings highlight the diverse opportunities digital technologies afford for adolescent flourishing and underscore the need for policies and pedagogical practices that create supportive, accessible, and welcoming digital spaces.