Amber van der Wal

Amber van der Wal is Assistant Professor in Youth & Media Entertainment at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam. Her research examines how digital media and social platforms affect adolescent development, mental health, and communication patterns.

Research focuses include: adolescent social media behaviors, mental health impacts of digital engagement, parent-teen communication in digital environments, and methodological approaches to studying youth media use. Her work employs diary studies, systematic reviews, and qualitative analysis to understand digital experiences.

Publications consistently explore social media's dual effects on youth wellbeing. Recent articles demonstrate methodological diversity including large-scale reviews (2025), longitudinal diary studies (2024-2025), and qualitative investigations of adolescent perspectives (2023-2024). Key themes involve mental health trade-offs, communication evolution, and research ethics.