More teens and young adults — particularly girls and young women — are reporting being depressed and anxious, compared with comparable numbers from the mid-2000s. Suicides are up too in that time period, most noticeably among girls ages 10 to 14.
These trends are the basis of a scientific controversy. Read more ›
Spending too much time scrolling through social media and watching more television has been linked with symptoms of depression in young people — and a new study reveals to what extent screen time and depression may be intertwined.
Some experts think that the rise in mental health problems in youth can be tied to an event in 2007: The introduction of the iPhone. Psychologist and author Jean M. Twenge wants us to believe that the “iGen”, the generation shaped by smartphones and social media use, born between 1995 and 2012 is “on the brink of the worst mental-health crisis in decades.” Read more ›
Effective communication is a protective factor that can help prepare teens to make informed, safe, and healthy decisions in the future. This session focuses on helping parents and trusted adults engage their children in open and honest conversation on the impact of social media and pornography on relationships, digital perfection and its impact on body image, and sexting. Read more ›
For students with attention and executive functioning challenges, technology can be both a blessing and a curse. The laptops, mobile devices, and online access that help with schoolwork are often a source of endless distraction, leading to off-task behavior and poor performance. Shelley Haven presents selected utilities, applications, and online services that reduce visual clutter and aid focus, restrict access to distracting apps and websites at selected times, and monitor device usage and increase awareness of distraction triggers. Read more ›
There are pros and cons to social media discussions of suicide. Social media can spread helpful knowledge and support, but it can also quickly disseminate harmful messaging and misinformation that puts vulnerable youth at risk. Read more ›
Children under five must spend less time sitting watching screens, or restrained in prams and seats, get better quality sleep and have more time for active play if they are to grow up healthy, according to new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) on April 24. Read more ›
Mental health, non-suicidal self-harm, and suicide themes on social media continue to be an issue both youth and adults face on a daily basis. Experts recognize that youth engagement with social media includes positive and negative aspects and our goal is to help maximize the benefits while reducing any potential harm. Read more ›
As a parent, you might walk past your child’s room and see her happily typing away on a Google Docs page. “Lovely!” you think. “She’s probably working on her science report or finishing up her essay on the rise of RBG.”
Or, she could be in a secret chat room. Read more ›
