Teens & Tech: Part 1
Trends in teens therapy (how things are changing with technology and the effects neurologically/relationally/with self)
Hello and welcome back to the Center Street Psychology blog! If you haven’t been here before, you might want to look at some of our previous blogs on anxiety, sleep hygiene and communication tips. For the next few weeks, we are going to focus on teens and therapy, starting off with some things that are helpful in understanding the factors that influence teen mental health and being able to meet teenagers where they are at.
As time goes on, it seems to be that we have to adapt to new trends, advances in technology, and changes in culture at an increasingly rapid pace. Teens in particular are at the forefront of these changes and are trying to continually navigate a shifting social landscape while developing and maintaining knowledge and skills to prepare for entering adulthood. If we want to be able to keep up with the teenagers in our lives, it’s important to understand just how impactful these factors can be for them.
It is easy to blame technology for some of the problems that teens face, but is this an accurate analysis? While it is commonly thought that spending too much time on electronics can cause mental health concerns such as depression, research has shown that there seems to be little evidence this causes any significant impact on mental health (Orben & Przybylski, 2019). The real factor that seems to cause complications is less in-person social interactions, which has been replaced with social media or other electronic communications. It has been found that a lack of in-person interactions and socialization can be linked with higher feelings of loneliness compared to what teens were experiencing in the 80s and 90s (Twenge et al., 2019). As well, many teens have experienced comments or bullying on social media which can lead to a negative self-image, low self-esteem, and low self-worth.
Does this mean we should all boycott social media? Not necessarily. There can be some positive things that we can get from the internet, such as a dank meme or a funny cat video! Ironically enough, there is also a good chance that you stumbled upon this blog on your social media. Maybe the best take-away from this discussion would be the need to promote healthy use of technology to teens and encourage a balanced lifestyle that includes time for in-person activities as well as online.
When it comes to engaging in therapy, there is a lot of good evidence to show that electronic-based therapies (such as through video platforms or phone calls) can be very effective in making sure teens are getting the resources they need to thrive. Telehealth can also encourage the development of a therapeutic relationship by bringing technology into therapy and opening up a wide variety of ways for teens to share who they are and what is important to them.
If you want to know more about trends in teen therapy, check out the references below!
Please reach out to us at Center Street Psychology if you would like to discuss more about our services. We provide support to a wide range of people, including teens. We provide a collaborative approach and are happy to provide you with a complimentary consultation to help potential “fit” with one of our counsellors. We are an inclusive clinic, located in Calgary, Alberta, providing in-person, virtual or hybrid services within Alberta and across Canada. Please call 403-399-5120 to speak with our Director of Client Care, Amy, who will gently guide you through the counselling process.
Written by Tyler Schamehorn
References
Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). Screens, teens, and psychological well-being: Evidence from three time-use-diary studies. Psychological Science, 30(5), 682-696. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797619830329
Toscos, T., Coupe, A., Flanagan, M., Drouin, M., Carpenter, M., Reining, L., Roebuck, A., & Mirro, M. J. (2019). Teens using screens for help: Impact of suicidal ideation, anxiety, and depression levels on youth preferences for telemental health resources. JMIR Mental Health, 6(6). https://doi.org/10.2196/13230
Twenge, J. M., Spitzberg, B. H., & Campbell, W. K. (2019). Less in-person social interaction with peers among U.S. adolescents in the 21st century and links to loneliness. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(6), 1892-1913. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407519836170
