Smartphones and Mental Health
Recently, the NYT published an article about mental health and smartphones. It basically assured parents to stop panicking because smartphones are not responsible for the recent decline in mental health.
I first discussed the article with colleagues from the Screens In Schools working group. A few professionals questioned the researchers' objectivity, which, I agree, is questionable. Others reacted to the shallowness and simplicity of an article covering a hugely complicated issue.
Many of us who work on the frontlines with kids and families every day are not panicked about tech, but concerned. And rightly so. As both a parent and family coach, I read endless research studies, regularly interact with struggling parents and kids, and share information with professionals in the field - psychologists, medical doctors, educators and other professionals. I have yet to meet someone who isn't concerned about the potential negative impacts of digital media use, especially on children and teens.
You can read Jean Twenge's, PhD, detailed response here.
Societal issues are rarely one-dimensional. Many things are contributing to the mental health crisis, including our society's obsession with “success." Tweens and teens, those who account for the most dramatic increases in anxiety, depression, suicide ideation and suicide (an increase which coincides with the release of the iPhone), are focused on their own little bubbles. But let's put this into perspective. Multiple research studies reveal that kids spend north of 6 hours per day online. Not only are their little bubbles floating around in cyber space, they also aren't developmentally prepared to shift attention to real life happening around them. Can we responsibly say this isn't affecting their ability to truly connect or their resilience, both of which impact mental health? Of course not. Most likely it is, to varying degrees.
To look at this from a simple psychological perspective, the cognitive behavioral therapy treatments for depression and anxiety are connection and exposure, respectively. Are screens not interfering with true human connection? What about exposure to uncomfortable experiences? Kids use their smartphones quite often to avoid situations - at the bus stop, in the school cafeteria, when breaking up. They aren't learning that they can handle discomfort, confrontation, boredom. Many kids complain that their friends are always staring at a device; “it’s annoying…no one talks to each other...it makes me sad.” We don’t need research to show us this. We just need to look around.
The mental health of our kids is not one-dimensional. There are many issues at play. But technology is touching almost every aspect of our lives in some way. Anything we do for 5-8 hours a day, - such as interact with screens - is going to have an impact. Kids don't need more time on screens. They need connection, sleep, discovery of the physical world, unstructured time, and downtime for optimal development. They (and we) need to cultivate tolerance to being bored, disappointed and uncomfortable because that is the basis of resilience. We have to find a way to balance technology to give kids what they need.
Given that survey data continue to report more screen use at increasingly younger ages, we should be concerned. We have to find a way to balance technology and give kids clear messages about their choices.
Our work as parents, educators and professionals who care about this issue is more important than ever before. We need to seek balance now for optimal health, and this involves trying harder to reconnect our kids and families through screen-free experiences.
Let's not panic. Let's self-reflect on our own screen habits and ask our kids to self-reflect on theirs, encouraging an openness to discussing and experimenting with new perspectives.
Encourage your friends, colleagues and community leaders to join the movement!
Thanks for all you do,
Adrienne