GROUNDING SUPPORT FOR U.S.-BORN LATINO ADOLESCENTS: CO-DESIGNING TOOLS FOR IDENTITY FORMATION, FAMILY COMMUNICATION, AND WELL-BEING

Abstract

This dissertation explored how U.S.-born Latino adolescents develop a confident and clear sense of their ethnic–racial identity while growing up within immigrant families. These adolescents not only face the typical developmental challenges of all teenagers but also must navigate the complexities of living between cultures. The project was motivated by the voices of young people who expressed both pride and uncertainty about who they are and how to make sense of the often-conflicting influences that surround them. With-out supportive systems that recognize and nurture their development, these experiences can hinder adolescents’ self-esteem, well-being, and long-term aspirations, ultimately affecting their ability to thrive in a pluralistic society where access to information and digital support networks is increasingly central.This study had a twofold purpose. The first was to better understand the information ecology that shapes how these adolescents make sense of their identities, including the in-formation sources, relationships, and cultural narratives they draw upon to construct their sense of self. The second was to examine methodological approaches that can inform the design of supportive systems to help adolescents navigate diverse influences, negoti-ate meanings, and reflect critically on the multiple ethnic–racial messages they encounter across contexts. Situated at the intersection of developmental psychology, education, and Human–Computer Interaction, this multidisciplinary study employed a Participatory De-sign methodology informed by the frameworks of Funds of Identity and Research-through-Design. Across different phases of the research—which included interviews and two stud-ies involving multiple co-design sessions—adolescents, parents, and practitioners engaged in dialogue, mutual reflection, and design activities grounded in the lived experiences of immigrant families.Findings show that adolescents are not passive recipients of cultural influence but ac-tive meaning-makers as well as agents of change within their families. The dissertation introduces the concept of a “shifted center of gravity” to describe identity as inherently relational, shaped through the continuous negotiation of values, expectations, and relation-ships across family, peers, schools, and culture. It advances the idea of relational funds and debts of identity, recognizing that individuals carry both resources and tensions that stretch across contexts, influencing how identity is expressed, sustained, and transformed. Beyond its theoretical contributions, the study offers practical implications for educators, practitioners, and designers by encouraging the creation of culturally responsive spaces and tools that strengthen intergenerational communication, support adolescents’ agency, and foster shared understanding within immigrant families. Methodologically, the study demonstrates how Reseach through Design can operate as both an analytic and generative mode of inquiry, where identity not only guides understanding but also illuminates new design opportunities. In this way, design becomes a reflective and collaborative process that reveals tensions, surfaces new insights, and strengthens the creation of systems that meaningfully support the lives and identities of immigrant families.