Digital Competence and Well-being among Young Adults – MRC Research Report

We are publishing a report from the pilot study carried out as part of the project “Digital Competence and Well-being among Young Adults: A Comparison of Poland, Spain and Slovakia”, conducted by the Media Studies Center at IFP UKEN in cooperation with international partners.

The report presents the results of an international comparative study on digital competence and well-being among young adults in Poland, Spain and Slovakia. It also examines relationships between selected areas of digital competence and different dimensions of well-being.

The study included 267 young adults. The results show substantial similarities between the three national samples. **The highest self-assessments concerned communication and problem-solving, while lower scores were recorded for content creation and self-regulation, especially control over time spent online.**

Another important finding is the gap between the ease of finding information and the ability to evaluate and verify it critically. This points to the continuing importance of developing critical and reflective information practices in digital education.

Across the full sample, the study also found a positive association between self-reported digital competence and well-being. Particularly clear relationships emerged for active and agentic uses of technology: problem-solving and effective action were associated with Accomplishment, while content creation was associated with Meaning.

The findings show that the way technology is used matters for well-being. Active forms of engagement are especially relevant, including creating content, solving problems, pursuing goals and consciously managing one’s online activity.

Download the report: “Digital Competence and Well-being among Young Adults”