Department of Family Social Science

Technology, Teens, and Families Lab

Welcome to the Technology, Teens, and Families Lab!

Screenshot of Technology, Teens, and Families Lab members in a Zoom meeting, smiling at the camera.

Our lab was established in 2022, directed by Dr. Xiaoran Sun, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota.

​We use innovative data and methods to study the interplay among technology, adolescent development, and family systems.

Recent Projects

UMN Teen Social Media Study

This is a NIMH-funded project that aims to identify adolescents' social media management strategies.

Family Screenome Study

We study how adolescents and their parents use smartphones, and how their smartphone use impacts their family relationships and well-being.

Machine Learning for Family Research

How we use machine learning to advance discoveries in developmental and family research.

Join the Team

Dr. Sun is actively looking for students who have strong interests and backgrounds in working at the intersections of family dynamics (family systems processes), adolescent and young adult development (achievements & well-being), methodologies, and data sciences.