Utilizing youth media practice to influence change: A pretest–posttest study

Purpose: Youth media practice (YMP) refers to various activities through which young people are empowered to express their views and develop critical reflectiveness via media productions. There is scant empirical research about YMP’s effectiveness. This study developed and field-tested an information and communication technology (ICT)–based YMP. Method: By using “My National/Ethnic Identity” as a heuristic production theme, a pilot study was conducted in Hong Kong in 2018. Participants shared and discussed photos online and conducted face-to-face presentations. The program was evaluated using a one-group pretest–posttest design. Participants included (N = 20) Hong Kong Chinese students aged 18–24. Results: Participants’ need for cognitive closure decreased, self-esteem increased, and their essentialist views on ethnic identity decreased. Discussion: This study demonstrates that YMP has potential to be a change-making strategy for future social work practice, and proper use of ICT can create space and opportunities for such reflective conversations.