COMMUNICATING IS NOT JUST PUBLISHING ARTICLES

A REPORT ON RESEARCH DISSEMINATION

Abstract

The present experience report aims to discuss the presentation of scientific research findings through public communication aimed at a lay audience, including both participants and non-participants of a primary research study. The study, focused on the implications of social media use on the mental health of adolescents, opted for a feedback model based on discussion groups, providing a space for debate and social validation of the results. The original research involved parents and guardians, examining their perceptions of the benefits and harms of social media use by adolescents and who should be responsible for controlling this use. The discussion groups allowed for an exchange that aligned science with personal experience and highlighted the importance of communication strategies that avoid excessive simplification and the exclusion of vulnerable groups. The analysis highlighted two paradoxes of scientific dissemination: the "Ease of Information Effect," which can diminish the credibility of simplified information, and "Epistemological Violence," which excludes vulnerable social groups. The proposed solution involves maintaining a reflective stance and presenting data in a detailed manner. The reported experience serves as a model for integrating scientific communication methods with inclusive practices, suggesting that future research should deepen these practices and explore new forms of community engagement and communicative validation.