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Maria Puertas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, SpainAbstract
In today’s hyperconnected world, adolescents construct identity, belonging, and emotional life through digital platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, and Discord. These environments, marked by immediacy and multimodality, are key to teenage socialization but also pose challenges for emotional well-being and peer inclusion. For counselling and guidance professionals, understanding these digital ecologies is essential to supporting students effectively. This presentation draws on Discourse Analysis (DA) to explore how adolescents use language in digital contexts, not only to connect but to express agency, construct identity, and navigate social dynamics. Particular attention is given to symbolic exclusion: subtle discursive acts such as silences, ironic memes, or indirect comments that marginalize peers. Though often overlooked, these forms of exclusion can deeply affect adolescents’ self-esteem, social integration, and emotional development. Grounded in qualitative inquiry, the study advocates for the integration of critical digital literacy and emotional education within counselling and guidance frameworks. It proposes that counsellors and educators must be trained to recognize and address the impact of digital discourse on students’ social and emotional lives. Pedagogies based on active listening, dialogue, and co-construction of meaning are essential in fostering inclusive and reflective school environments. This contribution highlights the vital role of educational guidance in responding to the complexities of adolescent communication in digital spaces and in promoting positive identity development, emotional well-being, and digital citizenship.
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