The advent of social media has radically altered how people, especially young people, communicate. While the rise of cyberbullying is well recognized, the role social media plays in youth violence is not.

In a phenomenon known as “cyberbanging,” social media can intensify conflicts among youth in neighborhoods with high rates of violence, leading to offline violence, including physical fights and gun violence.

University of Connecticut School of Social Work assistant professor Caitlin Elsaesser has received a two-year $250,000 K01 award from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to research how social media conflict contributes to youth firearm violence and develop a social media-based intervention to address this pressing issue. Read more on UConn Today.