Speaker
Presentation in SpanishINMACULADA MONTOYA
UNIVERSITY OF VALENCIA. SPAIN
Inmaculada Montoya Castilla is a Professor in the Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatments at the University of Valencia. She is currently the Director of the Master’s degree program in “Psychotherapy and Clinical Psychology: Current Intervention Strategies” at the University of Valencia. She teaches in the Psychology degree program and in various master’s programs. She is the director of the research group “Educating in Emotions in Childhood and Adolescence” (EMINA group); treasurer of the Scientific Society for the Advancement of Clinical Psychology and Child and Adolescent Health (Infancy Network); and a member of the Network of Universities for Childhood and Adolescence (RUIA).
Her research focuses on emotional competencies, childhood, adolescence, family, and educators. She participates as a principal investigator and as a member of the research team in various projects funded by public and private entities. In these projects, she has published various papers on parenting styles and child health, parent training for conflict resolution, emotional competencies in childhood, and emotional development in adolescence. As a result, she is a co-author of the PREDEMA Program. Emotional education program for adolescents. From emotion to meaning (2016) and the MADEMO Program. Emotional education manual for teachers (2021), both books published by Pirámide Publishing House. She is currently the principal investigator of an R&D&I Project, “Intervention through an intelligent technological platform for socio-emotional development and well-being promotion: validation and implementation of a serious game,” funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2020-114425RB-C21).
In the health area, she researches the psychological consequences of chronic illness on pediatric patients and their families, specifically in type I diabetes mellitus and respiratory disease.
All this research has resulted in various articles in national and international scientific journals, books aimed at teaching, as well as books and chapters on research results and contributions to national and international congresses.
Generation Alpha in a hyperconnected world: what makes them vulnerable and how to improve their well-being?
Generation Alpha is the first generation to have grown up fully immersed in a digital environment. From an early age, their social, emotional, and cognitive development takes place in a hyperconnected setting where social media, mobile devices, and virtual spaces are part of everyday life. This context transforms the ways they relate to others, learn, and build identity, but it also raises important questions about its impact on psychological well-being, school coexistence, and mental health.
Understanding which factors increase vulnerability during adolescence and which factors have a protective function has become a priority for psychological and educational research. This symposium brings together four recent studies that analyze how socio-emotional variables, lifestyle habits, mental health, and digital behaviors interact in adolescent development.
Longitudinal evidence is presented on the role of socio-emotional factors in promoting well-being and school inclusion during adolescence, as well as research examining how healthy habits, emotional awareness, and cognitive coping strategies relate to adolescent quality of life.
In addition, emerging risks associated with the digital environment are addressed, examining how problematic internet use can encourage cyber-aggression behaviors through emotional distress, especially anxiety and depression. Finally, a psychosocial profile of today’s adolescents is presented, integrating psychological well-being, problematic digital behaviors, and victimization experiences.
Overall, the studies presented provide relevant empirical evidence for understanding how emotional, behavioral, and digital factors interact in the development of Generation Alpha, offering key insights for designing prevention and intervention strategies that promote healthy development in an increasingly hyperconnected world.
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