With people of all ages relying on technology more during the pandemic for work, school, and everything else in between, it is reassuring to note that this use of technology is not as harmful as is sometimes assumed. Given how social distancing has had negative impacts on mental health, this research bodes well for the ways in which technology can provide a sense of connection and community when unable to spend time together in person, as may still be recommended to address these COVID-19 variants.
What This Study Tells Us
This research relied on three large nationally representative data sets from 430,000 teenagers in the US and the UK to assess for associations between social media, television viewing, and digital device use with suicidality, depression, emotional challenges, and conduct issues. Researchers were interested in exploring links between how the technology use of teenagers and mental health had changed over three decades with the understanding that this relationship is dynamic and may shift over time. The patterns of change based on this study suggest that youth may be engaging with emerging technology in ways that may help, rather than harm, mental health, although researchers caution that it is too early to draw firm conclusions that may dictate norms for policy or regulation.
Healthy Boundaries Still Make Sense
Kate Rosenblatt, MA, LPC, LMHC, says, “There appears to be a correlation between our teens, tech, and their mental health. In response to the pandemic, we’re using tech more than ever before.” Rosenblatt encourages boundaries with their screens for teens, and included recommendations such as getting adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and engaging in daily movement to manage mental health, especially in the context of the pandemic, which has meant remote school and social isolation for many teens, as well as missing milestones like graduation.
Technology Can Improve Mental Health
Clarissa Harwell, LCSW, says, “I see teens in my private practice and I also assess children and teens in mental health crises for suicide and homicide risk as part of a county crisis team. I work with families around healthy electronics use and am typically encouraging parents to support their teens using electronics to connect to peers, among other uses.” In this way, Harwell highlights the vital ways in which technology can be helpful for teenagers to develop and maintain friendships during a period when it can be challenging to nurture relationships, even when not faced with social distancing restrictions to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure. Especially given how much more people have had to rely on technology during the pandemic, this may ease fears of harmful effects to come. To manage mental health, boundaries on screen time are recommended, as is a holistic approach that includes attention to other relevant factors such as sleep, nutrition, movement, etc.
