(ANS – Buenos Aires) – On Friday, July 3, 2026, the Argentine Red Cross officially launched its national research project, “Growing Up and Educating in the Digital Age: Use, Risks, and Mental Health in Adolescents,” at the headquarters of the Argentine Episcopal Conference. The study is being promoted through the Argentine Red Cross Humanitarian Observatory in collaboration with leading institutions in the field and with academic support from the National University of La Matanza (UNLAM).
The project aims to analyze the digital experiences of adolescents ages 13 to 18 across Argentina, examining how today’s digital environment—including generative artificial intelligence—affects their mental health, well-being, and daily lives. It will also explore the perspectives and practices of parents and guardians to identify patterns of technology use, areas of vulnerability, and opportunities for future intervention.
Beginning in August, researchers plan to survey at least 5,000 adolescents and 300 parents or primary caregivers throughout the country. The surveys will be conducted in person and self-administered, with local coordination provided by Red Cross volunteers in partnership with schools, universities, and a committee of experts in mental health, neuroscience, and behavioral addictions.
Among those participating in the project’s launch were Bishop Dante Gustavo Braida Lorenzón, Bishop of La Rioja and President of the Episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral Care; Dr. Federico Pavlovsky, a psychiatrist specializing in addiction and gambling disorders; and Lucía Fainboim, Director of the Bienestar Digital consulting firm.
“We need to interpret reality through a dialogue between the Gospel and today’s world, recognizing that the current cultural landscape requires interdisciplinary discernment and new tools to accompany younger generations,” Bishop Braida said.
“We live in a time that calls us to deepen our understanding of today’s cultural transformations, generate meaningful research, and strengthen educational responses that promote integral human development, care for each person, and build communities rooted in relationships, participation, and hope,” added Fainboim.
Representing the Salesian Province of Argentina South (ARS) at the launch were Fr. Agustín Camiletti, SDB, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, and Federico Urrengoechea, Assistant Principal of the elementary division at Colegio León XIII and a member of the province’s Campo Escuelas team.
By supporting this initiative, the ARS Province hopes the research will contribute to the development of public policies that encourage the healthy use of digital technology at a time when digital device use among young people has reached unprecedented levels.