Theoretical Construction and Integration of Digital Flourishing: A Cross-Context Model Based on Self-Determination Theory and Extended Construction Theory

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-553-9_49How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Digital Flourishing; Self-Determination Theory (SDT); Broaden-and-Build Theory; Adolescent Digital Mental Health

Abstract

This study focuses on adolescents’ digital flourishing, aiming to construct a cross-contextual model grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Broaden-and-Build Theory. As digital technologies become deeply integrated into adolescents’ lives, their impact on mental health grows increasingly significant. Through literature review and theoretical analysis, digital flourishing is refined into six dimensions: authentic self-presentation, digital autonomy, virtual competence, social connectedness, sense of meaning, and growth experiences. Findings reveal that digital flourishing influences adolescent mental health via two pathways: a direct pathway by satisfying SDT’s autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs; and an indirect pathway by triggering positive emotions to initiate the “broaden-and-build” cycle, thereby accumulating psychological resources. Cultural background, algorithm transparency, and socioeconomic status (SES) exert moderating effects on these pathways. This study proposes the “digital-to-reality resource transfer” hypothesis, redefines the digital mental health assessment framework, and provides practical guidance for education, technology design, and policy development. The findings highlight the potential of digital technologies in promoting adolescent mental health while also identifying limitations in their application and future research directions.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Yujun Liu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/03/25
TI  - Theoretical Construction and Integration of Digital Flourishing: A Cross-Context Model Based on Self-Determination Theory and Extended Construction Theory
BT  - Proceedings of the 2025 4th International Conference on Educational Science and Social Culture (ESSC 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 428
EP  - 435
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-553-9_49
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-553-9_49
ID  - Liu2026
ER  -