Designing healthier digital experiences for adolescents.
This MFA thesis explored how social media and digital product design might support adolescent connection without relying on manipulative engagement loops, addictive feedback patterns, or attention-harvesting design. The work combined research, UX/UI exploration, mindful design principles, and prototype development to imagine a healthier model for teen-centered digital interaction.
Thesis Overview
The project began with a central question: how might a social platform for adolescents encourage meaningful connection while reducing the pressure, comparison, and dopamine-driven patterns common in mainstream social media?
Research & Insight
The work drew from adolescent development research, design ethics, user experience strategy, and observation-based thinking. Rather than designing for more clicks, likes, and endless scrolling, the thesis focused on how design choices can shape healthier patterns of use.
Mindful Design Principles
The thesis explored design principles such as reducing compulsive feedback loops, supporting intentional connection, avoiding popularity-based pressure, designing for reflection instead of endless scrolling, respecting adolescent cognitive and emotional development, and making safety and trust visible.
Prototype & Model
The prototype explored interface patterns, content flows, and interaction models that could support teen connection while placing limits around unhealthy engagement mechanics. The goal was not to eliminate social interaction, but to design it with more care.
Why It Still Matters
This thesis remains part of DonHStudio because it reflects a larger design belief: digital experiences should be evaluated not only by how engaging they are, but by how they affect people over time.
Thesis Links & Archive
This page summarizes the MFA thesis work, but the full project includes the written thesis, research summaries, prototype experiences, and supporting pages originally developed for MindfulMingle.
Read the Complete Thesis
View the full MFA thesis hosted through Liberty University Digital Commons.
View Research Summary Page
View a summary of the Mindful Design for Adolescent Minds thesis hosted through Liberty University Digital Commons.
Launch the App Prototype
Click through the interactive Adobe XD app prototype to experience the proposed teen-centered social platform flow.
Launch the Website Prototype
Click through the interactive Adobe XD website prototype to experience the supporting web-based prototype.
Review the Minful Design Textbook Chapter
This section will shows the textbook-style chapter developed as part of the thesis experience.