Social and emotional difficulties in adolescence,

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• Blanca Piera Pi-Sunyer and Emily Towner, Blakemore Lab, Centre for Child, Adolescent and Family Research, Cambridge.
• Tuesday 03 June 2025, 16:00-17:00
• Hybrid: in-person in Cambridge & online via Teams.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Louise Gray.

In-person: Ground Floor Seminar Room, Old Cavendish Building, Free School Lane / Teams Meeting ID: 323 445 622 595, Passcode: h3bdJY

Talk 1: The role of social support in socioemotional difficulties during adolescence Blanca Piera Pi-Sunyer.

[Abstract not available]

Talk 2: Being Alone — Social Disconnection in Adolescence Emily Towner.

Social isolation and loneliness have reached concerning levels worldwide, with individuals aged 16-24 years reporting among the highest prevalence. This vulnerability is particularly concerning during adolescence—a sensitive period for social, emotional, and neural development—given robust associations between loneliness and adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Paradoxically, despite being the loneliest age group, adolescents also report higher social media use than any other demographic, raising questions about the quality and nature of digital social connections.

Emily’s PhD research investigated the effects of brief social isolation on adolescents aged 16-19 years using an experimental paradigm. Employing a within-participant design, adolescents completed baseline assessments and participated in two counterbalanced isolation sessions: one involving complete isolation from social interactions, and another permitting interactions exclusively through digital platforms.

Findings reveal that even short periods of isolation significantly influence cognitive processes in ways that potentially heighten vulnerability to mental health difficulties. Neuroimaging results further uncovered neural predictors of individual sensitivity, providing insights into why certain adolescents may be particularly susceptible to the impacts of isolation.

These findings have meaningful implications for understanding and addressing social disconnection in our increasingly digital society.

Speaker Biographies:

Blanca is a final year PhD student in Psychology and a Gates Cambridge Scholar under the MRC Doctoral Training Programme. In a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and the University of the Basque Country, Blanca’s interdisciplinary research aims to understand the role of peer and friendship groups, family support and neighbourhood cohesion in mental health during adolescence. Blanca has a background in psychology and social sciences (Psychology Major in BSc Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics, University of Amsterdam, 2018) and in cognitive neuroscience (MRes in Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, 2019).

Emily is a final year PhD Candidate in Psychology at the University of Cambridge and a Gates-Cambridge Scholar. Her Ph.D. research focuses primarily on social isolation in adolescents — where she investigates the effects of isolation and loneliness on cognition and mental health. Through the use of high definition magnetic resonance imaging she also explores associations between the brain and sensitivity to social isolation. In addition, she is interested in digital social connection. She examines whether digital social interactions (such as the use of smartphones and social media) might mitigate or exacerbate the effects of social isolation. This summer, she will begin a position as a postdoctoral scholar at the California Institute of Technology.

This talk is part of the Centre for Child, Adolescent & Family Research Seminar Series series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Centre for Child, Adolescent & Family Research Seminar Series
• Hybrid: in-person in Cambridge & online via Teams
• Psychology talks and events
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