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Empowering teens and parents with tools to support wellbeing

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Empowering teens and parents with tools to support wellbeing

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Safer Internet Day: Empowering teens and parents with tools to support wellbeing Blog Copy linkCopy linkPlay buttonPlay buttonToggleToggleToggleToggleToggleToggleToggle

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A guide to healthy screen habits for teens from YouTube & the APA

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A guide to healthy screen habits for teens from YouTube & the APA

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YouTube shares guide to healthy screen habits for teens Blog Copy linkCopy linkToggleToggleToggleToggleToggleToggleToggle

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YouTube and the APA partnered on a new guidance on teens’ video-viewing habits to offer evidence-based recommendations on digital wellbeing.

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The results of HRC’s 2022 Youth Survey reveal persistent, serious challenges for LGBTQ+ youth, continuing trends observed in the 2017 study.

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The Online Experiences of LGBTQ+ Youth - The Digital Wellness Lab

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Explore the online experiences of LGBTQ+ youth, including benefits, risks, and the need for tailored digital spaces to support their mental health and safety.

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Doctor's Advice: How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Media

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Doctor's Advice: How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Media

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Doctor’s Advice: How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Media

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How can parents talk to kids about social media? Child psychologist Dr. Ablon says don’t start by taking it away.

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Your Brain on Social Media - Resources for Parents

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Your Brain on Social Media - Resources for Parents

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School Resources - Your Brain on Social Media

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Cell phone and social media use pose significant challenges for schools We offer resources to help school leaders create effective policies, engage communities, and educate students and families on safe technology use. Cell Phones and Social Media in Schools A Toolkit for School Leaders and Communities We worked with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office to [...]

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Cell Phones & Social Media in Schools: A Toolkit for School Leaders

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Cell Phones & Social Media in Schools: A Toolkit for School Leaders

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AND SOCIAL MEDIA

IN SCHOOLS

A Toolkit for School Leaders

and Communities

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Cell Phones and Social Media in Schools Toolkit.pdf

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Empowering Education Leaders to Transform Student Wellbeing

In today's educational landscape, wellbeing is a critical priority for both students and staff. This immersive, practical virtual institute is designed for education leaders who are committed to creating sustainable, effective Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) that promote wellbeing and address mental and behavioral health challenges.

EDC's MTSS for Wellbeing Summer Institute will maximize your time with two half-day virtual sessions designed to deepen your application of the elements of a successful MTSS for wellbeing. Education leaders, including superintendents, principals, and district-level leaders, will engage in a needs assessment and supports inventory. Our experts will provide concrete strategies and tools you can bring back to your school or district. There will be a balance of whole-group sessions and focus area breakouts.

What You'll Gain

The Summer Insititute will equip education leaders with concrete tools and strategies for designing, implementing, and sustaining an MTSS framework for wellbeing across a district or school.

By the end of our two-day summer institute, you will:

Define the core elements of an effective MTSS structure that prioritizes wellbeing

Get targeted support in a focus area of your choice: Suicide & Substance Misuse Prevention, Educator Wellbeing, Attendance & Chronic Absenteeism

Explore the current supports available for students and staff in your school/district

Engage in collaborative work to draft a vision and concrete goals to guide your district's MTSS design, implementation, and sustainability

Apply concrete resources and tools that you can use with your team

Access one hour of free coaching per individual or team following the event

Expectations for Participation

Registrants should be prepared to participate in two interactive virtual half-day sessions and engage in a short pre-work task. Participants will self-select one focus area to engage with: (1) Suicide & Substance Misuse Prevention, (2) Educator Wellbeing, and (3) Attendance & Chronic Absenteeism.

How to Register

Follow this link to our five-minute registration form. School and district leaders may register as individuals or as a team of five for a 25% discount. Following the Summer Institute, one hour of free coaching is available per individual or team.

$400 for an individual

$1,500 for a team of five.

For more information contact: Richard Fournier at rfournier@edc.org.

Optional Coaching Sessions

For an additional fee, participants can engage in four targeted coaching sessions with an EDC Solutions coach between July and August. These meetings will prepare participants to turn their vision and goals into concrete action steps; plan for sustainable change; gather community member input from staff, families, students, and other key voices; and tackle other critical strategic planning steps.

About EDC

The MTSS for Wellbeing Summer Institute is presented by Education Development Center (EDC), a global leader in advancing education, health, and economic opportunities. With deep expertise in MTSS, social-emotional learning (SEL), and mental health, EDC's expert instructors provide education leaders with evidence-based strategies and actionable tools to drive meaningful change in schools and districts.

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MTSS for Wellbeing Summer Institute | Solutions.edc.org

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In today's educational landscape, wellbeing is a critical priority for both students and staff. This immersive, practical virtual institute is designed for education leaders who are committed to creating sustainable, effective Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) that promote wellbeing and address mental and behavioral health challenges.

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A Multi-Tiered Approach to Promoting SEL

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A Multi-Tiered Approach to Promoting SEL

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The Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework is a common strategy that districts use to make sure all their students receive high-quality academic support and that no student falls through the cracks. This very same framework can also be used to make sure that schools promote students' social and emotional development and address any mental health needs. Doing so requires an intentional and systemic approach to organize and coordinate all social and emotional learning (SEL) and mental health supports across three tiers.

Specifically, MTSS for SEL and mental health include the following three tiers:

Tier 1 supports are classroom-based and/or schoolwide programs and practices that help all students develop social and emotional well-being as well as promote positive mental health.

Tier 2 supports are targeted interventions that support students with low to mild social and emotional struggles, and they often reinforce Tier 1 lessons or address mild mental health needs.

Tier 3 supports are intensive and often individualized supports for students with significant SEL and mental health needs, such as anxiety or trauma.

Where does SEL End and Mental Health Begin?

While SEL is a framework that promotes the development of different types of competencies-self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, social awareness, and responsible decision-making, school-based mental health refers to supports along a continuum-from promoting positive mental health for all students to addressing diagnosable mental health challenges as needed.

The two go hand in hand: Promoting SEL competencies has been found to promote positive mental health. In an MTSS structure, you can find both kinds of supports in each of the three tiers. Tier 1 includes teaching SEL competencies and mental health literacy, Tier 2 may include additional targeted SEL supports (e.g., social-pragmatic support groups) or mental health interventions (e.g., trauma-informed support groups), and Tier 3 often involves mental health interventions, but those may include reinforcing SEL skills such as emotional management.

Setting Up your MTSS Approach to SEL and Mental Health

Setting up an MTSS framework can take time and resources up front-but once it's established, schools are much better prepared to provide the social and emotional supports that students need. Here are several steps school leaders can take to ensure that MTSS structures and processes are in place.

Plan your Tier 1 supports. Is your school implementing an SEL curriculum? Is the expectation that teachers will embed SEL practices into their academic instruction? What types of schoolwide campaigns-such as ensuring that each student has a trusted adult in the building-will you roll out this school year? Tier 1 programs and practices are designed to help all students develop social and emotional skills.

Your school or district may want to put together an SEL and mental health team that is tasked with identifying the specific supports-a curriculum, a set of classroom practices, schoolwide campaigns-that you will offer to all students. Once you select your approach, make sure to put in place a process to ensure effective implementation, such as fidelity checklists.

Inventory Tier 2 and 3 supports. Targeted (Tier 2) and intensive (Tier 3) SEL and/or mental health supports should be provided on an as-needed basis, based on students' specific needs. While it is challenging to anticipate what supports your students will need throughout the year, it is important to know which interventions you and your staff are prepared to offer students.

For example, are classroom-based teachers prepared to provide reinforcing activities for students who struggle with self-regulation or social skills? Do you have staff who can provide small group supports, such as social-pragmatic or executive function groups? Do you have staff trained to provide mental health interventions to students who need it-or, alternatively, do you have processes for referring students to outside mental health supports if needed? Your SEL and mental health team may also want to inventory the types of supports your school can offer and, if needed, to augment these supports with additional trainings or hires.

Put student support teams in place. At the heart of an MTSS system is the process by which students with SEL or mental health needs are identified, matched with Tier 2 and/or Tier 3 supports, and then monitored to make sure they are making progress and that their supports are adjusted accordingly. At the center of this process is a student support team (SST, also called whole child team or building-based team), composed of academic and mental health staff.

This team receives referrals from teachers and parents, or from students themselves, and then develops a plan for each student to receive Tier 2 and 3 supports. The same team revisits each student receiving supports every six to eight weeks to determine if the plan should be adjusted or phased out, based on progress. As a first step to this process, you should identify who should be part of the team, how often they should meet, and what processes they should follow (e.g., agendas, meeting frequencies, etc.).

Prepare data collection and use processes. An effective MTSS framework ensures that all decisions are based on data. This includes using data to select appropriate Tier 1 programs and practices, using universal screening tools to identify students with elevated needs, and using data to monitor student progress. Now is a good time to review the various data sources at your disposal (e.g., SEL assessments, universal mental health screening tools, attendance, disciplinary data) and determine how they will be used on a regular basis to guide your MTSS efforts. This includes determining how often data will be collected and by whom, who will have access, and how data will be examined by the SST team and others.

Bring an equity lens to your MTSS approach. To truly ensure that all students are well supported by your MTSS efforts, it is important to bring an equity lens to your MTSS planning and implementation. Examples of concrete steps to ensure equity in your MTSS efforts include making sure that all voices are at the table when making decisions and selecting interventions, disaggregating data to better understand the needs of various student groups, and ensuring that the programs and interventions you select have been tested to be culturally and linguistically affirming of the different groups within your community.

Putting these MTSS elements in place will ensure that your school is ready to promote the well-being of all students.

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A Multi-Tiered Approach to Promoting SEL

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A campus-wide coordinated approach to social and emotional learning and mental health ensures that all students have the support they need.

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Health advisory on social media use in adolescence

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Health advisory on social media use in adolescence

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Psychological scientists examine potential beneficial and harmful effects of social media a use on adolescents' social, educational, psychological, and neurological development. This is a rapidly evolving and growing area of research with implications for many stakeholders (e.g., youth, parents, caregivers, educators, policymakers, practitioners, and members of the tech industry) who share responsibility to ensure adolescents' well-being. b Officials and policymakers including the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy have documented the importance of this issue and are actively seeking science-informed input. c

The recommendations below are based on the scientific evidence to date, and the following considerations.

A. Using social media is not inherently beneficial or harmful to young people. Adolescents' lives online both reflect and impact their offline lives. In most cases, the effects of social media are dependent on adolescents' own personal and psychological characteristics and social circumstances-intersecting with the specific content, features, or functions that are afforded within many social media platforms. In other words, the effects of social media likely depend on what teens can do and see online, teens' preexisting strengths or vulnerabilities, and the contexts in which they grow up. ³

B. Adolescents' experiences online are affected by both 1) how they shape their own social media experiences (e.g., they choose whom to like and follow); and 2) both visible and unknown features built into social media platforms.

C. Not all findings apply equally to all youth. Scientific findings offer one piece of information that can be used along with knowledge of specific youths' strengths, weaknesses, and context to make decisions that are tailored for each teen, family, and community. ⁴

D. Adolescent development is gradual and continuous, beginning with biological and neurological changes occurring before puberty is observable (i.e., approximately beginning at 10 years of age), and lasting at least until dramatic changes in youths' social environment (e.g., peer, family, and school context) and neurological changes have completed (i.e., until approximately 25 years of age). ⁵ Age-appropriate use of social media should be based on each adolescent's level of maturity (e.g., self-regulation skills, intellectual development, comprehension of risks) and home environment. ⁶ Because adolescents mature at different rates, and because there are no data available to indicate that children become unaffected by the potential risks and opportunities posed by social media usage at a specific age, research is in development to specify a single time or age point for many of these recommendations. In general, potential risks are likely to be greater in early adolescence-a period of greater biological, social, and psychological transitions, than in late adolescence and early adulthood. 7,8

E. As researchers have found with the internet more broadly, racism (i.e., often reflecting perspectives of those building technology) is built into social media platforms. For example, algorithms (i.e., a set of mathematical instructions that direct users' everyday experiences down to the posts that they see) can often have centuries of racist policy and discrimination encoded. ⁹ Social media can become an incubator, providing community and training that fuel racist hate. ¹⁰ The resulting potential impact is far reaching, including physical violence offline, as well as threats to well-being. ¹¹

F. These recommendations are based on psychological science and related disciplines at the time of this writing (April 2023). Collectively, these studies were conducted with thousands of adolescents who completed standardized assessments of social, behavioral, psychological, and/or neurological functioning, and also reported (or were observed) engaging with specific social media functions or content. However, these studies do have limitations. First, findings suggesting causal associations are rare, as the data required to make cause-and-effect conclusions are challenging to collect and/or may be available within technology companies, but have not been made accessible to independent scientists. Second, long-term (i.e., multiyear) longitudinal research often is unavailable; thus, the associations between adolescents' social media use and long-term outcomes (i.e., into adulthood) are largely unknown. Third, relatively few studies have been conducted with marginalized populations of youth, including those from marginalized racial, ethnic, sexual, gender, socioeconomic backgrounds, those who are differently abled, and/or youth with chronic developmental or health conditions.

Recommendations

1. Youth using social media should be encouraged to use functions that create opportunities for social support, online companionship, and emotional intimacy that can promote healthy socialization

Data suggest that youths' psychological development may benefit from this type of online social interaction, particularly during periods of social isolation, when experiencing stress, when seeking connection to peers with similar developmental and/or health conditions, and perhaps especially for youth who experience adversity or isolation in offline environments. 12, 13,14,15

Youth with symptoms of mental illness, such as adolescents with social anxiety, depression, or loneliness, for instance, may benefit from interactions on social media that allow for greater control, practice, and review of social interactions. ¹⁶ Unfortunately, these populations may also be at higher risk for some of the negative facets of social media use as discussed below. ¹⁷

Social media offers a powerful opportunity for socialization of specific attitudes and behaviors, encouraging adolescents to follow the opinions and prosocial acts of others. ¹⁸ The discussion of healthy behaviors online can promote or reinforce positive offline activity and healthy outcomes.

Social media may be psychologically beneficial particularly among those experiencing mental health crises, ¹⁹ or members of marginalized groups that have been disproportionately harmed in online contexts. For instance, access to peers that allows LGBTQIA+ and questioning adolescents to provide support to and share accurate health information with one another is beneficial to psychological development, and can protect youth from negative psychological outcomes when experiencing stress. ²⁰ This may be especially important for topics that adolescents feel reluctant to or are unable to discuss with a parent or caregiver.

2. Social media use, functionality, and permissions/consenting should be tailored to youths' developmental capabilities; designs created for adults may not be appropriate for children.

Specific features (e.g., the "like" button, recommended content, unrestricted time limits, endless scrolling) and notices/alerts (e.g., regarding changes to privacy policies) should be tailored to the social and cognitive abilities and comprehension of adolescent users. ²¹ As one example, adolescents should be informed explicitly and repeatedly, in age-appropriate ways, about the manner in which their behaviors on social media may yield data that can be used, stored, or shared with others, for instance, for commercial (and other) purposes.

3. In early adolescence (i.e., typically 10-14 years), adult monitoring (i.e., ongoing review, discussion, and coaching around social media content) is advised for most youths' social media use; autonomy may increase gradually as kids age and if they gain digital literacy skills. However, monitoring should be balanced with youths' appropriate needs for privacy.

Brain regions associated with a desire for attention, feedback, and reinforcement from peers become increasingly sensitive beginning in early adolescence, and regions associated with mature self-control are not fully developed until adulthood. ⁵ Parental monitoring (i.e., coaching and discussion) and developmentally appropriate limit-setting thus is critical, especially in early adolescence.

Adults' own use of social media in youths' presence should also be carefully considered. Science demonstrates that adults' (e.g., caregivers') orientation and attitudes toward social media (e.g., using during interactions with their children, being distracted from in-person interactions by social media use) may affect adolescents' own use of social media.

Preliminary research suggests that a combination of 1) social media limits and boundaries, and 2) adult-child discussion and coaching around social media use, leads to the best outcomes for youth. ²²

4. To reduce the risks of psychological harm, adolescents' exposure to content on social media that depicts illegal or psychologically maladaptive behavior, including content that instructs or encourages youth to engage in health-risk behaviors, such as self-harm (e.g., cutting, suicide), harm to others, or those that encourage eating-disordered behavior (e.g., restrictive eating, purging, excessive exercise) should be minimized, reported, and removed; ²³ moreover, technology should not drive users to this content.

Evidence suggests that exposure to maladaptive behavior may promote similar behavior among vulnerable youth, and online social reinforcement of these behaviors may be related to increased risk for serious psychological symptoms, even after controlling for offline influences. ²⁴

Reporting structures should be created to easily identify harmful content, and ensure it is deprioritized or removed.

5. To minimize psychological harm, adolescents' exposure to "cyberhate" including online discrimination, prejudice, hate, or cyberbullying especially directed toward a marginalized group (e.g., racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, ability status), ²² or toward an individual because of their identity or allyship with a marginalized group should be minimized.

Research demonstrates that adolescents' exposure to online discrimination and hate predicts increases in anxiety and depressive symptoms, even after controlling for how much adolescents are exposed to similar experiences offline. ²⁵ Similarly, research indicates that as compared to offline bullying, online bullying and harassment can be more severe, and thus damaging to psychological development. ²⁶⁻²⁸ In other words, both online cyberhate and offline bullying can increase risk for adolescent mental health problems. Research suggests elevated risks both for the perpetrators and victims of cyberhate. 29,30

Adolescents should be trained to recognize online structural racism and critique racist messages. Research shows that young people who are able to critique racism experience less psychological distress when they witness race-related traumatic events online. ²⁵ As noted above, adults' monitoring and active discussion of online content can also reduce the effects of exposure to cyberhate on adolescents' psychological adjustment. ²²

6. Adolescents should be routinely screened for signs of "problematic social media use" that can impair their ability to engage in daily roles and routines, and may present risk for more serious psychological harms over time.

Indicators of problematic social media use include

a tendency to use social media even when adolescents want to stop, or realize it is interfering with necessary tasks

spending excessive effort to ensure continuous access to social media

strong cravings to use social media, or disruptions in other activities from missing social media use too much

repeatedly spending more time on social media than intended

lying or deceptive behavior to retain access to social media use

loss or disruption of significant relationships or educational opportunities because of media use³¹

Social media use should not restrict opportunities to practice in-person reciprocal social interactions, and should not contribute to psychological avoidance of in-person social interactions.

7. The use of social media should be limited so as to not interfere with adolescents' sleep and physical activity.

Research recommends adolescents get at least eight hours of sleep each night ³² and maintain regular sleep-wake schedules. Data indicate that technology use particularly within one hour of bedtime, and social media use in particular, is associated with sleep disruptions. 33,34 Insufficient sleep is associated with disruptions to neurological development in adolescent brains, teens' emotional functioning, 35,36 and risk for suicide. 37,38

Adolescents' social media use also should not interfere with or reduce adolescents' opportunities for physical activity and exercise. ³⁹ Research demonstrates that physical activity is essential for both physical and psychological health (i.e., lower rates of depression). ⁴⁰

8. Adolescents should limit use of social media for social comparison, particularly around beauty- or appearance-related content.

Research suggests that using social media for social comparisons related to physical appearance, as well as excessive attention to and behaviors related to one's own photos and feedback on those photos, are related to poorer body image, disordered eating, and depressive symptoms, particularly among girls. 41,42,43,44,45,46

9. Adolescents' social media use should be preceded by training in social media literacy to ensure that users have developed psychologically-informed competencies and skills that will maximize the chances for balanced, safe, and meaningful social media use.

Emerging science offers preliminary support for the efficacy of Digital Citizenship and Digital Literacy ⁴⁷ to increase the frequency of positive interactions online; however, more research is needed in this area. ⁴⁸

Additional competencies could also include:

questioning the accuracy and representativeness of social media content

understanding the tactics used to spread mis- and disinformation

limiting "overgeneralization" and "misestimation" errors that lead users to incorrectly estimate others' behaviors or attitudes based on social media content (or reactions to content)

signs of problematic social media use

how to build and nourish healthy online relationships

how to solve conflicts that can emerge on social media platforms

how to refrain from excessive social comparisons online and/or better understand how images and content can be manipulated

how to recognize online structural racism and critique racist messages

how to safely communicate about mental health online⁴⁹

10. Substantial resources should be provided for continued scientific examination of the positive and negative effects of social media on adolescent development.

A substantial investment in research funding is needed, including long-term longitudinal research, studies of younger children, and research on marginalized populations.

Access to data among independent scientists (including data from tech companies) to more thoroughly examine the associations between social media use and adolescent development is needed.

APA's latest resources

Videos

Expert advisory panel

Co-chairs

Mary Ann McCabe, PhD, ABPP, member-at-large, Board of Directors, American Psychological Association; associate clinical professor of pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine

Mitchell J. Prinstein, PhD, ABPP, chief science officer, American Psychological Association; John Van Seters Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Members

Mary K. Alvord, PhD, director, Alvord, Baker & Associates; board president, Resilience Across Borders; adjunct associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Dawn T. Bounds, PhD, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, assistant professor, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine

Linda Charmaraman, PhD, Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College

Sophia Choukas-Bradley, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh

Dorothy L. Espelage, PhD, William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Joshua A. Goodman. PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, Southern Oregon University

Jessica L. Hamilton, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, Rutgers University

Jacqueline Nesi, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Brendesha M. Tynes, PhD, Dean's Professor of Educational Equity, University of Southern California

L. Monique Ward, PhD, professor, Department of Psychology (Developmental), University of Michigan

Lucía Magis-Weinberg, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, University of Washington

Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge the outstanding contributions to this report made by Corbin Evans, JD, senior director of congressional and federal relations, American Psychological Association.

Selected publications and resources

1. Nesi, J., Dredge, R., Maheux, A. J., Roberts, S. R., Fox, K. A., & Choukas-Bradley, S. (2023). Peer experiences via social media. In B. Halpern-Felsher (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Health (pp. 182-195). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818872-9.00046-7

2. Prinstein, M. J., Nesi, J., & Telzer, E. H. (2020). Commentary: An updated agenda for the study of digital media use and adolescent development-Future directions following Odgers & Jensen (2020). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 349-352. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13219

3. Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. New York University Press. https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9781479833641.001.0001

4. Nesi, J., Mann, S. and Robb, M. B. (2023). Teens and mental health: How girls really feel about social media. San Francisco, California: Common Sense

5. Introduction to the Age appropriate design code | ICO. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/ico-codes-of-practice/age-appropriate-design-code/

6. Tools and tips to help communicate safely online about suicide - #chatsafe - Orygen, Revolution in Mind. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.orygen.org.au/chatsafe.

7. Li, C., Wang, P., Martin-Moratinos, M., Bella-Fernández, M., & Blasco-Fontecilla, H. (2022). Traditional bullying and cyberbullying in the digital age and its associated mental health problems in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-02128-x

8. Fioravanti, G., Bocci Benucci, S., Ceragioli, G., & Casale, S. (2022). How the exposure to beauty ideals on social networking sites influences body image: A systematic review of experimental studies. Adolescent Research Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-022-00179-4

9. Common Sense Media. (2019, May 10). Digital citizenship | Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship

10. Magis-Weinberg, L., Muñoz Lopez, D. E., Gys, C. L., Berger, E. L., & Dahl, R. E. (2022). Short research article: Promoting digital citizenship through a school-based intervention in early adolescence in Perú (a pilot quasi-experimental study). Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12625

11. Choukas-Bradley, S., Kilic, Z., Stout, C. D., Roberts, S.R. (2023). Perfect storms and double-edged swords: Recent advances in research on adolescent social media use and mental health. Advances in Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypsc.2023.03.007

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Health advisory on social media use in adolescence

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This health advisory provides 10 recommendations to ensure that teens develop healthy social media practices.

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Online Health and Safety for Children and Youth: Best Practices for Families and Guidance for Industry

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Online Health and Safety for Children and Youth: Best Practices for Families and Guidance for Industry

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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

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Online Health and Safety in Children and Youth - Safe Internet Use

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Get resources to help keep your children, tweens, and teens safe on social media and online platforms.

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EDC Solutions' Education & Wellbeing team are experienced educators, administrators, and researchers with expertise in instructional design, mental health, and social and emotional learning.

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EDC Solutions' Education & Wellbeing team are experienced educators, administrators, and researchers with expertise in instructional design, mental health, and social and emotional learning.

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MTSS Approach to Digital Wellness Example Strategies

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MTSS Approach to Digital Wellness Example Strategies

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MTSS Approach to Digital Wellness Example Strategies

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Conference | Advancing School Mental Health 2024 | Solutions.edc.org

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Conference | Advancing School Mental Health 2024

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Education & Wellbeing | Solutions.edc.org

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Copenhagen, 25 September 2024New data from the WHO Regional Office for Europe reveals a sharp rise in problematic social media use among adolescents, with rates increasing from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022. This, coupled with findings that 12% of adolescents are at risk of problematic gaming, raises urgent concerns about the impact of digital technology on the mental health and well-being of young people. These findings come from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study, which surveyed almost 280 000 young people aged 11, 13 and 15 across 44 countries and regions in Europe, central Asia and Canada in 2022. Key findings include: More than 1 in 10 adolescents (11%) showed signs of problematic social media behaviour, struggling to control their use and experiencing negative consequences. Girls reported higher levels of problematic social media use than boys (13% vs 9%). Over a third (36%) of young people reported constant contact with friends online, with the highest rates among 15-year-old girls (44%). A third (34%) of adolescents played digital games daily, with more than 1 in 5 (22%) playing for at least 4 hours on days when they engage in gaming. 12% of adolescents are at risk of problematic gaming, with boys more likely than girls to show signs of problematic gaming (16% vs 7%). The report defines problematic social media use as a pattern of behaviour characterized by addiction-like symptoms. These include an inability to control social media usage, experiencing withdrawal when not using it, neglecting other activities in favour of social media, and facing negative consequences in daily life due to excessive use.Implications of increased problematic social media useThe rise in problematic social media use among adolescents raises significant concerns about potential impacts on young people. Previous research has found that problematic social media users also reported lower mental and social well-being and higher levels of substance use compared to non-problematic users and non-users. This trend, if continued, could have far-reaching consequences for adolescent development and long-term health outcomes. Moreover, problematic social media use has been associated with less sleep and later bedtimes, potentially impacting adolescents’ overall health and academic performance. “It’s clear that social media can have both positive and negative consequences on the health and well-being of adolescents,” noted Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “That’s why digital literacy education is so important. Yet it remains inadequate in many countries, and where it is available, it often fails to keep pace with young people and rapidly evolving technology. We are seeing the consequences of this gap, with worse likely to come, unless governments, health authorities, teachers and parents recognize the root causes of the current situation and take steps to rectify it. As millions of children across the Region return to school after the summer holidays, some countries are considering restrictions or outright bans on social media for children up to a certain age. It’s clear we need immediate and sustained action to help adolescents turn the tide on potentially damaging social media use, which has been shown to lead to depression, bullying, anxiety and poor academic performance.”Positive aspects of social media use While the report highlights the risks, it also underscores the benefits of responsible social media use. Adolescents who are heavy but non-problematic users reported stronger peer support and social connections. As one 17-year-old boy from Poland shared, “There are many benefits of social media, especially when it is used in moderation. Among the benefits, there is connection and connectedness. Teenagers may meet others who share their passions and interests”. “This study reveals both the promise and the pitfalls of digital engagement for our young people,” said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director for Country Health Policies and Systems, WHO Regional Office for Europe. “It’s crucial that we take steps to protect youth to allow them to navigate the digital landscape safely and equip them to make informed choices about their online activities, maximizing the benefits while minimizing the risks to their mental and social well-being. In short, they should rule social media, and not have social media ruling them.” Gaming trends and their implications The report also reveals that 34% of adolescents play digital games daily, with 22% playing for at least 4 hours on gaming days. While 68% were classified as non-problematic gamers, 12% were at risk of problematic gaming.A previous HBSC study examining problematic online gaming behaviour in five countries found associations with lower life satisfaction, more frequent psychological complaints and lower peer support. However, for many adolescents, gaming remains a harmless or even beneficial pastime. Dr Claudia Marino, one of the report authors at the University of Padova, noted: “The gender differences in gaming patterns are striking. Boys not only show higher rates of daily gaming but are also more likely to develop problematic gaming habits. This highlights the need for targeted interventions that consider gender-specific motivations and risk factors in gaming behaviour”. Targeted interventions Interventions to address problematic social media use should be age-appropriate, gender-sensitive and culturally tailored. They should focus on helping young people develop digital literacy skills, promote healthy online behaviours and provide support for those at risk of problematic use. As one boy from England suggested, “I think it is more important to make social media better and safer, and teach people how to use it safely and to look after themselves”. This highlights the need for improved digital environments and education that empower young people to navigate online spaces safely. Roadmap for action While the findings are sobering, they also offer a roadmap for the way ahead. The WHO Regional Office for Europe – covering Europe and central Asia – calls upon policy-makers, educators and health-care providers to prioritize adolescent digital well-being with the following specific calls to action: Invest in a health promoting school environment, in which digital literacy education is embedded. Implement evidence-based programmes in schools covering responsible social media use, online safety, critical thinking skills and healthy gaming habits. Enhance mental health services. Ensure access to confidential, non-judgmental and affordable mental health services which can address issues arising from problematic digital technology use. Promote open dialogue. Encourage conversations about digital well-being within families, schools and communities to reduce stigma and increase awareness. Train educators and health-care providers. Provide specialized training to deliver effective and inclusive digital literacy education and support. Enforce platform accountability. Ensure social media platforms enforce age restrictions and create a regulatory framework encouraging responsible design of digital tools for young users. “Ultimately, what we are seeking to achieve for our children is a solid foundation for life in the digital age, something social media companies and young people alike are beginning to acknowledge and act upon around the world,” concluded Dr Kluge. “Digital literacy in the context of child development and well-being, informed by the right knowledge at the right time along with the right health and other support services, are critical. By empowering adolescents to make informed decisions about their online activities, balancing their online and offline worlds, we ultimately help safeguard and improve their overall well-being. This is crucial for ensuring a healthier, more balanced digital future for all communities, societies and countries.”

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Teens and social media: Key findings from Pew Research Center surveys

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Teens and social media: Key findings from Pew Research Center surveys

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Today's teens are navigating a digital landscape unlike the one experienced by their predecessors, particularly when it comes to the pervasive presence of social media. In 2022, Pew Research Center fielded an in-depth survey asking American teens - and their parents - about their experiences with and views toward social media. Here are key findings from the survey:

Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand American teens' experiences with social media and their parents' perception of these experiences. For this analysis, we surveyed 1,316 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17, along with one parent from each teen's household. The survey was conducted online by Ipsos from April 14 to May 4, 2022.

This research was reviewed and approved by an external institutional review board (IRB), Advarra, which is an independent committee of experts that specializes in helping to protect the rights of research participants.

Ipsos invited panelists who were a parent of at least one teen ages 13 to 17 from its KnowledgePanel, a probability-based web panel recruited primarily through national, random sampling of residential addresses, to take this survey. For some of these questions, parents were asked to think about one teen in their household. (If they had multiple teenage children ages 13 to 17 in the household, one was randomly chosen.) This teen was then asked to answer questions as well. The parent portion of the survey is weighted to be representative of U.S. parents of teens ages 13 to 17 by age, gender, race, ethnicity, household income and other categories. The teen portion of the survey is weighted to be representative of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 who live with parents by age, gender, race, ethnicity, household income and other categories.

Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and its methodology.

Majorities of teens report ever using YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. YouTube is the platform most commonly used by teens, with 95% of those ages 13 to 17 saying they have ever used it, according to a Center survey conducted April 14-May 4, 2022, that asked about 10 online platforms. Two-thirds of teens report using TikTok, followed by roughly six-in-ten who say they use Instagram (62%) and Snapchat (59%). Much smaller shares of teens say they have ever used Twitter (23%), Twitch (20%), WhatsApp (17%), Reddit (14%) and Tumblr (5%).

Facebook use among teens dropped from 71% in 2014-15 to 32% in 2022. Twitter and Tumblr also experienced declines in teen users during that span, but Instagram and Snapchat saw notable increases.

TikTok use is more common among Black teens and among teen girls. For example, roughly eight-in-ten Black teens (81%) say they use TikTok, compared with 71% of Hispanic teens and 62% of White teens. And Hispanic teens (29%) are more likely than Black (19%) or White teens (10%) to report using WhatsApp. (There were not enough Asian teens in the sample to analyze separately.)

Teens' use of certain social media platforms also varies by gender. Teen girls are more likely than teen boys to report using TikTok (73% vs. 60%), Instagram (69% vs. 55%) and Snapchat (64% vs. 54%). Boys are more likely than girls to report using YouTube (97% vs. 92%), Twitch (26% vs. 13%) and Reddit (20% vs. 8%).

Majorities of teens use YouTube and TikTok every day, and some report using these sites almost constantly. About three-quarters of teens (77%) say they use YouTube daily, while a smaller majority of teens (58%) say the same about TikTok. About half of teens use Instagram (50%) or Snapchat (51%) at least once a day, while 19% report daily use of Facebook.

Some teens report using these platforms almost constantly. For example, 19% say they use YouTube almost constantly, while 16% and 15% say the same about TikTok and Snapchat, respectively.

More than half of teens say it would be difficult for them to give up social media. About a third of teens (36%) say they spend too much time on social media, while 55% say they spend about the right amount of time there and just 8% say they spend too little time. Girls are more likely than boys to say they spend too much time on social media (41% vs. 31%).

Teens are relatively divided over whether it would be hard or easy for them to give up social media. Some 54% say it would be very or somewhat hard, while 46% say it would be very or somewhat easy.

Girls are more likely than boys to say it would be difficult for them to give up social media (58% vs. 49%). Older teens are also more likely than younger teens to say this: 58% of those ages 15 to 17 say it would be very or somewhat hard to give up social media, compared with 48% of those ages 13 to 14.

Teens are more likely to say social media has had a negative effect on others than on themselves. Some 32% say social media has had a mostly negative effect on people their age, while 9% say this about social media's effect on themselves.

Conversely, teens are more likely to say these platforms have had a mostly positive impact on their own life than on those of their peers. About a third of teens (32%) say social media has had a mostly positive effect on them personally, while roughly a quarter (24%) say it has been positive for other people their age.

Still, the largest shares of teens say social media has had neither a positive nor negative effect on themselves (59%) or on other teens (45%). These patterns are consistent across demographic groups.

Teens are more likely to report positive than negative experiences in their social media use. Majorities of teens report experiencing each of the four positive experiences asked about: feeling more connected to what is going on in their friends' lives (80%), like they have a place where they can show their creative side (71%), like they have people who can support them through tough times (67%), and that they are more accepted (58%).

When it comes to negative experiences, 38% of teens say that what they see on social media makes them feel overwhelmed because of all the drama. Roughly three-in-ten say it makes them feel like their friends are leaving them out of things (31%) or feel pressure to post content that will get lots of comments or likes (29%). And 23% say that what they see on social media makes them feel worse about their own life.

There are several gender differences in the experiences teens report having while on social media. Teen girls are more likely than teen boys to say that what they see on social media makes them feel a lot like they have a place to express their creativity or like they have people who can support them. However, girls also report encountering some of the pressures at higher rates than boys. Some 45% of girls say they feel overwhelmed because of all the drama on social media, compared with 32% of boys. Girls are also more likely than boys to say social media has made them feel like their friends are leaving them out of things (37% vs. 24%) or feel worse about their own life (28% vs. 18%).

When it comes to abuse on social media platforms, many teens think criminal charges or permanent bans would help a lot. Half of teens think criminal charges or permanent bans for users who bully or harass others on social media would help a lot to reduce harassment and bullying on these platforms.

About four-in-ten teens say it would help a lot if social media companies proactively deleted abusive posts or required social media users to use their real names and pictures. Three-in-ten teens say it would help a lot if school districts monitored students' social media activity for bullying or harassment.

Some teens - especially older girls - avoid posting certain things on social media because of fear of embarrassment or other reasons. Roughly four-in-ten teens say they often or sometimes decide not to post something on social media because they worry people might use it to embarrass them (40%) or because it does not align with how they like to represent themselves on these platforms (38%). A third of teens say they avoid posting certain things out of concern for offending others by what they say, while 27% say they avoid posting things because it could hurt their chances when applying for schools or jobs.

These concerns are more prevalent among older teen girls. For example, roughly half of girls ages 15 to 17 say they often or sometimes decide not to post something on social media because they worry people might use it to embarrass them (50%) or because it doesn't fit with how they'd like to represent themselves on these sites (51%), compared with smaller shares among younger girls and among boys overall.

Many teens do not feel like they are in the driver's seat when it comes to controlling what information social media companies collect about them. Six-in-ten teens say they think they have little (40%) or no control (20%) over the personal information that social media companies collect about them. Another 26% aren't sure how much control they have. Just 14% of teens think they have a lot of control.

Despite many feeling a lack of control, teens are largely unconcerned about companies collecting their information. Only 8% are extremely concerned about the amount of personal information that social media companies might have and 13% are very concerned. Still, 44% of teens say they have little or no concern about how much these companies might know about them.

Only around one-in-five teens think their parents are highly worried about their use of social media. Some 22% of teens think their parents are extremely or very worried about them using social media. But a larger share of teens (41%) think their parents are either not at all (16%) or a little worried (25%) about them using social media. About a quarter of teens (27%) fall more in the middle, saying they think their parents are somewhat worried.

Many teens also believe there is a disconnect between parental perceptions of social media and teens' lived realities. Some 39% of teens say their experiences on social media are better than parents think, and 27% say their experiences are worse. A third of teens say parents' views are about right.

Nearly half of parents with teens (46%) are highly worried that their child could be exposed to explicit content on social media. Parents of teens are more likely to be extremely or very concerned about this than about social media causing mental health issues like anxiety, depression or lower self-esteem. Some parents also fret about time management problems for their teen stemming from social media use, such as wasting time on these sites (42%) and being distracted from completing homework (38%).

Note: Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and its methodology. CORRECTION (May 17, 2023): In a previous version of this post, the percentages of teens using Instagram and Snapchat daily were transposed in the text. The original chart was correct. This change does not substantively affect the analysis.

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Teens and social media: Key findings from Pew Research Center surveys

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More than half of U.S. teens say it would be difficult for them to give up social media. 36% say they spend too much time on social media.

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Teens and social media use: What's the impact?

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Teens and social media use: What's the impact?

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Includes indicators of healthy & unhealthy media use

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Social media is a term for internet sites and apps that you can use to share content you've created. Social media also lets you respond to content that others post. That can include pictures, text, reactions or comments on posts by others, and links to information.

Online sharing within social media sites helps many people stay in touch with friends or connect with new ones. And that may be more important for teenagers than other age groups. Friendships help teens feel supported and play a role in forming their identities. So, it's only natural to wonder how social media use might affect teens.

Social media is a big part of daily life for lots of teenagers.

How big? A 2022 survey of 13- to 17-year-olds offers a clue. Based on about 1,300 responses, the survey found that 35% of teens use at least one of five social media platforms more than several times a day. The five social media platforms are: YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.

Social media doesn't affect all teens the same way. Use of social media is linked with healthy and unhealthy effects on mental health. These effects vary from one teenager to another. Social media effects on mental health depend on things such as:

What a teen sees and does online.

The amount of time spent online.

Psychological factors, such as maturity level and any preexisting mental health conditions.

Personal life circumstances, including cultural, social and economic factors.

Here are the general pros and cons of teen social media use, along with tips for parents.

Healthy social media

Social media lets teens create online identities, chat with others and build social networks. These networks can provide teens with support from other people who have hobbies or experiences in common. This type of support especially may help teens who:

Lack social support offline or are lonely.

Are going through a stressful time.

Belong to groups that often get marginalized, such as racial minorities, the LGBTQ community and those who are differently abled.

Have long-term medical conditions.

Sometimes, social media platforms help teens:

Express themselves.

Connect with other teens locally and across long distances.

Learn how other teens cope with challenging life situations and mental health conditions.

View or take part in moderated chat forums that encourage talking openly about topics such as mental health.

Ask for help or seek healthcare for symptoms of mental health conditions.

These healthy effects of social media can help teens in general. They also may help teens who are prone to depression stay connected to others. And social media that's humorous or distracting may help a struggling teen cope with a challenging day.

Unhealthy social media

Social media use may have negative effects on some teens. It might:

Distract from homework, exercise and family activities.

Disrupt sleep.

Lead to information that is biased or not correct.

Become a means to spread rumors or share too much personal information.

Lead some teens to form views about other people's lives or bodies that aren't realistic.

Expose some teens to online predators, who might try to exploit or extort them.

Expose some teens to cyberbullying, which can raise the risk of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

What's more, certain content related to risk-taking, and negative posts or interactions on social media, have been linked with self-harm and rarely, death.

The risks of social media use are linked with various factors. One may be how much time teens spend on these platforms.

In a study focusing on 12- to 15-year-olds in the United States, spending three hours a day using social media was linked to a higher risk of mental health concerns. That study was based on data collected in 2013 and 2014 from more than 6,500 participants.

Another study looked at data on more than 12,000 teens in England between the ages of 13 to 16. The researchers found that using social media more than three times a day predicted poor mental health and well-being in teens.

But not all research has found a link between time spent on social media and mental health risks in teens.

How teens use social media also might determine its impact. For instance, viewing certain types of content may raise some teens' mental health risks. This could include content that depicts:

Illegal acts.

Self-harm or harm to other people.

Encouragement of habits tied to eating disorders, such as purging or restrictive eating.

These types of content may be even more risky for teens who already have a mental health condition. Being exposed to discrimination, hate or cyberbullying on social media also can raise the risk of anxiety or depression.

What teens share about themselves on social media also matters.

With the teenage brain, it's common to make a choice before thinking it through. So, teens might post something when they're angry or upset, and regret it later. That's known as stress posting.

Teens who post content also are at risk of sharing sexual photos or highly personal stories. This can lead to teens being bullied, harassed or even blackmailed.

Protecting your teen

You can take steps to help your teens use social media responsibly and limit some of the possible negative effects.

Use these tips:

Set rules and limits as needed. This helps prevent social media from getting in the way of activities, sleep, meals or homework.

For example, you could make a rule about not using social media until homework is done. Or you could set a daily time limit for social media use.

You also could choose to keep social media off-limits during certain times. These times might include during family meals and an hour before bed.

Set an example by following these rules yourself. And let your teen know what the consequences will be if your rules aren't followed.

Manage any challenging behaviors. If your teen's social media use starts to challenge your rules or your sense of what's appropriate, talk with your teen about it. You also could connect with parents of your teen's friends or take a look at your teen's internet history.

Turn on privacy settings. This can help keep your teen from sharing personal information or data that your teen didn't mean to share. Each of your teen's social media accounts likely has privacy setting that can be changed.

Monitor your teen's accounts. The American Psychological Association recommends you regularly review your child's social media use during the early teen years.

One way to monitor is to follow or "friend" your child's social accounts. As your teen gets older, you can choose to monitor your teen's social media less. Your teen's maturity level can help guide your decision.

Have regular talks with your teen about social media. These talks give you chances to ask how social media has been making your teen feel. Encourage your teen to let you know if something online worries or bothers your teen.

Regular talks offer you chances to give your child advice about social media too. For example, you can teach your teen to question whether content is accurate. You also can explain that social media is full of images about beauty and lifestyle that are not realistic.

Be a role model for your teen. You might want to tell your child about your own social media habits. That can help you set a good example and keep your regular talks from being one-sided.

Explain what's not OK. Remind your teen that it's hurtful to gossip, spread rumors, bully or harm someone's reputation - online or otherwise.

Also remind your teen not to share personal information with strangers online. This includes people's addresses, telephone numbers, passwords, and bank or credit card numbers.

Encourage face-to-face contact with friends. This is even more important for teens prone to social anxiety.

Talk to your child's healthcare professional if you think your teen has symptoms of anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns related to social media use. Also talk with your child's care professional if your teen has any of the following symptoms:

Uses social media even when wanting to stop.

Uses it so much that school, sleep, activities or relationships suffer.

Often spends more time on social platforms than you intended.

Lies in order to use social media.

Your teen might be referred to a mental healthcare professional who can help.

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Show references

1. Hagan JF, et al., eds. Promoting the healthy and safe use of social media. In: Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents. 4th ed. https://publications.aap.org/pediatriccare. American Academy of Pediatrics; 2017. Accessed Oct. 3, 2023.

2. Social media can help connect: Research-based tips from pediatricians for families. Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/center-of-excellence-on-social-media-and-youth-mental-health/. Accessed Oct. 3, 2023.

3. Health advisory on social media use in adolescence. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/health-advisory-adolescent-social-media-use. Accessed Oct. 3, 2023.

4. Social media and teens. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Social-Media-and-Teens-100.aspx. Accessed Oct. 3, 2023.

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10. Self-Harm. Pediatric Patient Education. https://publications.aap.org/patiented. Accessed Oct. 3, 2023.

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12. Coyne SM, et al. Does time spent using social media impact mental health? An eight year longitudinal study. Computers in Human Behavior. 2020; doi:10.1016/j.chb.2019.106160.

13. Viner RM, et al. Roles of cyberbullying, sleep, and physical activity in mediating the effects of social media use on mental health and wellbeing among young people in England: A secondary analysis of longitudinal data. The Lancet. Child & Adolescent Health. 2019; doi:10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30186-5.

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How I beat my social media habit (and how you can too)

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Filters. Snaps. Likes. Hearts. Posts.

As someone with ADHD, I've always struggled with preventing a constant flow of social media from having an iron grip on my time. About a year ago, I made the decision to take control again. I wanted to stop my social media habits from being an endless time black hole.

My purpose isn't to bash social media, which is a powerful tool to connect with friends and family. Rather, I want to offer you my thoughts for using social media in a healthier way.

To break away from excessive use of social media, you must first understand how attachment to social media works - and the effect it has on our ADHD brains.

Social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram use vivid colors, specific sounds, and infinite scrolling to make their platforms more appealing. They're designed to be satisfying and easy to spend time on. Experts say these platforms trigger the reward circuit system and release dopamine in our brains.

Dopamine is one of the most important chemicals our brains produce. It's known for giving us feelings of pleasure, motivating us to behave in certain ways and take specific actions - like eating, falling in love, or studying to do well on a test. Dopamine is so powerful that it's also involved in addiction.

Since social media causes the release of dopamine, spending more time on social media becomes a more desirable action to perform. This leads our brains to think that we're doing something good and worthwhile while using social media.

How does this relate to ADHD?

There's a big difference between a typical brain and an ADHD brain. The reward circuits in an ADHD brain aren't triggered as easily as in a typical brain.

Experts say that our ADHD brains are slightly desensitized to dopamine. It takes a lot more dopamine for us to be satisfied - and normal, day-to-day things like taking out trash or finishing homework don't provide enough. Using social media is effortless and accessible, and our ADHD brains prefer the stimulation of social media over the stimulation of doing more effortful tasks. Having ADHD also means we're more likely to lose track of time when we're doing something that repeatedly activates the reward circuit. That's why it's easier for us to get hooked.

What's next?

If you're determined - like I am - to change your social media habits to healthier ones, you must break this attachment. Building internal discipline is a key ingredient. For example, while apps that block social media may help (see below), they'll never be as powerful as your desire to change.

Here's the method that worked for me when I've been spending too much time on social media:

Use self-talk. Whenever an exam or project is coming up, I literally say to myself that I can't waste any more time on social media. I remind myself of how my brain works.

Block social media. After that, I use my smartphone's "pause" feature, which lets me disable social media apps for a set time. (This feature is available on iOS and most Android phones.)

Tell others. The first few days of pulling away from social media can be the hardest, because you want to communicate with friends. To prevent this, I let people know that I'll be taking time off. If I want to talk, I text or call.

Get in the zone. Once I've been away from social media for a few days, it starts to get easier. I reach a point where I don't need to check social media apps anymore. I start focusing on what I need to get done, and I feel more fulfilled.

The key here is to maintain these habits, and not let yourself go down the hole of endless scrolling through memes or watching random YouTube videos again. One rule I found helpful: Only use social media to connect with friends and family, and cut out anything else that you do while you're online.

If you ever feel like you're slipping with social media, try to go back and repeat the steps above.

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How I beat my social media habit (and how you can too)

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I was spending too much time on social media. As someone with ADHD, I knew this was trouble for me. Here's how I kicked my social media habit.

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​Use this Family Media Plan to create a personalized plan for how all kinds of media are used in your family. ​​

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How Social Media Affects Your Teen’s Mental Health: A Parent’s Guide

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How Social Media Affects Your Teen’s Mental Health: A Parent’s Guide

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Mental health issues among teens have been rising for more than a decade, and some experts wonder how much social media use is to blame. If you're a parent questioning if-and how-you should monitor the way your teenager uses social media, you're not alone.

In the spring of 2023, United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, released an advisory called Social Media and Youth Mental Health, in which he says there is growing evidence that social media is causing harm to young people's mental health. Soon after, the American Psychological Association (APA) issued its own health advisory. A year later, in June 2024, Dr. Murthy called for a surgeon general's warning label on social media platforms, which would require an act of Congress to implement.

The issue is complicated, however. While there are indicators that it can have a profound risk of harm to teens (more on that below), social media use aimed at making healthy connections with others may actually be beneficial to some people. Dr. Murthy's report indicates that more research is needed to fully understand the impact of social media. For parents, this means there are no easy answers.

"The issues we face now with social media are similar to those we faced when television came out," says Linda Mayes, MD, chair of the Yale Child Study Center (YCSC). She explains that, as with TV watching, there are pros and cons to social media for young people. "So, how do we help parents filter out the parts that may be detrimental?"

Below, Dr. Mayes and YCSC's Yann Poncin, MD, a child psychiatrist, offer advice for parents trying to help their teenagers use social media in a positive way.

But first, some background.

Social media use and teens: Background, benefits, and harms

As a parent, you might ask yourself, "What, specifically, about social media use can have a negative impact on my teen?"

Dr. Murthy's advisory was based on what it describes as a "substantial review of the available evidence." It raises a variety of concerns, including the amount of time adolescents spend on platforms, the type of content they consume (or are exposed to), and the degree to which their online interactions disrupt activities essential for health, such as sleep and exercise. It points out that social media can also affect young users in different ways, depending on their strengths and vulnerabilities as individuals, as well as their cultural, historical, and socio-economic backgrounds.

The report stresses that the brain is going through a highly sensitive period between the ages of 10 and 19, when identities and feelings of self-worth are forming. Frequent social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing brain, potentially affecting such functions as emotional learning and behavior, impulse control, and emotional regulation.

What are the potential benefits of social media use by teens?

Some teenagers experience a benefit when they use social media to foster positive connections with others who share common interests or identities (if they are seeking a connection with others who are, say, members of a particular racial identity), creating a space for self-expression. Relationships formed in communities like these can create opportunities for positive interactions with more diverse peer groups than are available to them offline, according to Dr. Murthy's report.

The advisory points to a 2022 survey of American teenagers and their parents by the Pew Research Center, which showed that a majority of respondents felt that social media helps teenagers feel more accepted (58%), like they have people who can support them through tough times (67%), that they have a place to show their creative side (71%), and that they are more connected to what's going on in their friends' lives (80%).

"Posting to let your friends know how you've been spending your time can be a positive or healthy way to connect and hear about each other's day," says Dr. Poncin. "It's no different than 30 years ago when adolescents would be on the phone for three hours connecting with their friends-only now you're online with your friends, saying, 'Meet you after school,' or 'Did you hear about this?'"

What are the potential harms of social media use by teens?

Over the last decade, increasing evidence has identified the potential negative impact of social media on adolescents. According to a research study of American teens ages 12-15, those who used social media over three hours each day faced twice the risk of having negative mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety symptoms.

The advisory states that other studies "point to a higher relative concern of harm in adolescent girls and those already experiencing poor mental health, as well as for particular health outcomes, such as cyberbullying-related depression, body image and disordered eating behaviors, and poor sleep quality linked to social media use."

"What's more, the social media algorithms are built to promote whatever you seem interested in," says Dr. Mayes. "If a teen searches for any kind of mental health condition, such as depression or suicide, it's going to feed them information about those things, so soon they may begin to think that everyone around them is depressed or thinking about suicide, which is not necessarily good for mental health."

When does the kind of content teens see become an issue?

Teens can easily access extreme, inappropriate, and harmful content. In certain cases, deaths have been linked to suicide- and self-harm-related content, such as "cutting," partial asphyxiation, and risk-taking challenges on social media platforms, according to Dr. Murthy's report. Studies also found that discussing or showing this content can normalize these behaviors.

Eating disorders are yet another concern. A review of 50 studies across 17 countries between 2016 and 2021 published in PLOS Global Public Health suggested that relentless online exposure to largely unattainable physical ideals may trigger a distorted sense of self and eating disorders. This is considered to be a particular problem among girls.

In addition, people who target adolescents-for instance, adults seeking to sexually exploit teens or financially extort them through the threat or actual distribution of intimate images-may use social media platforms for these types of predatory behaviors, according to the Surgeon General's advisory.

Why is excessive use of social media a problem?

The excessive use of social media can harm teens by disrupting important healthy behaviors. Some researchers think that exposure to social media can overstimulate the brain's reward center and, when the stimulation becomes excessive, can trigger pathways comparable to addiction.

Excessive use has also been linked to sleep problems, attention problems, and feelings of exclusion in adolescents. And sleep is essential for the healthy development of teens, according to Dr. Murthy's advisory.

Social media use in teens: A guide for parents

After reading the background, as a parent, you might ask yourself, "Sure, but do kids really use social media that much?"

Social media use among young people is nearly universal now, based on surveys from the Pew Research Center. In 2022, up to 95% of teenagers surveyed (ages 13 to 17) reported using social media, and more than a third of them use it "almost constantly."

Pew has also tracked which social media platforms (or "apps") teenagers are using. In 2023, it found the majority of teens-9 out of 10 for those ages 13 to 17-use YouTube, followed by TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. (Their use of Facebook dropped dramatically; there was also a decrease in the use of Twitter, now called X, although that was not as steep.)

With that in mind, YCSC experts provide a guide for parents concerned about their teens' social media use.

1. Determine the age your child will have access to social media.

Experts are still exploring whether there is a "right age" for a child to access social media. The APA explains that adolescents mature at different rates, which makes establishing a universal age recommendation difficult.

Although the minimum age most commonly required by social media platforms in the U.S. is 13, nearly 40% of children ages 8-12 use social media, according to Dr. Murthy's report. That signals how difficult it can be to enforce these rules without parental supervision.

One strategy is to make a social media plan for your family long before the teenage years, Dr. Poncin says. "In my opinion, elementary school-age children should not have full-on internet access using a device with all the social media apps."

In terms of phones, they can start with a "dumbphone," a cell phone that doesn't have email, an internet browser, and other features found on smartphones, he adds.

For middle-schoolers who show maturity and responsibility-who can get themselves to sleep and do their homework, for example-additional access may be fine, notes Dr. Poncin. But he suggests delaying full access to smartphones for as long as possible, opting for a device allowing you to add more apps as your child matures.

Establishing a family social media plan might also be useful-the American Academy of Pediatrics offers a tool that can help. In addition to setting the age at which you plan to start giving your kids phones or internet access, this plan can be used to establish rules and educate children and teens about being careful about privacy settings, avoiding strangers online, not giving out personal information, and knowing how to report cyberbullying, Dr. Mayes says.

2. Keep devices out of the bedroom.

Research shows a relationship between social media use and poor sleep quality, reduced sleep duration, and sleep difficulties in young people, according to Dr. Murthy's advisory. For teens, poor sleep is linked to emotional health issues and a higher risk for suicide.

According to Dr. Murthy's report, on a typical weekday, nearly one-third of adolescents report using screen media until midnight or later. (While screen media use includes various digital activities, social media apps are the most commonly used applications by teens.)

"Knowing that, try to create a culture at home where all phones are turned off by a certain time, and make sure it's at least one hour before going to bed," Dr. Poncin says.

However, you may find that bedtime rules don't work as well as your kids get older. It may be necessary to ask your teen to put their phone outside the bedroom before going to bed. "But, if the response is, 'I do my homework late and have a group chat about math, so I'm going to need the phone to group chat,' and you suspect your teen isn't being honest, that will be a different conversation," Dr. Poncin says. "But having these open conversations is critical."

3. Keep the lines of communication open, and let your teen make mistakes.

It will be easier to talk to your teens about social media if you have comfortable conversations with them about other issues, the doctors say.

"I don't believe you should monitor the content of your teen's phone, because a teenager should have privacy," Dr. Poncin says. "An important part of the teenage years is figuring out who you are in the world. So, it's important for them to explore and even make mistakes without you hovering around them." The goal is to keep lines of communication open and establish some trust with your child, so they'll come to you if there are issues, he adds.

This, too, is similar to the advice given when parents were concerned about the impact of television on children, adds Dr. Mayes. "Research showed that watching TV in and of itself wasn't bad, but it began to have potentially negative effects on kids' behavior when it was used as a babysitter," she says. "The message to parents was to sit beside their kids and watch TV with them, and then talk about what they're watching."

Neither you nor your teen will be happy if you sit beside them and scroll down your social media feeds together, but you can take the time to ask how social media is working for them, Dr. Mayes suggests. "So, you're not saying, 'Oh no! You're on social media!' Rather, you're normalizing it and making it clear that you're willing to talk about what they're experiencing or learning. This sets it up for them to talk to you if they run into a problem, instead of going to their peers or looking for solutions online," she says.

4. Be mindful of your approach when talking to your teen.

Although keeping the line of communication open matters, how you have those conversations is equally important. If you are concerned about your teen's social media use and feel the need to intervene, you might say something like, "It seems like you're on the phone so much that I don't see you just doing homework like you used to do, so I'm just worried how healthy this is for you in terms of getting your stuff done. What do you think about that?" Dr. Poncin says.

You might even need to be more assertive, for instance, saying, "I've noticed that you're on your phone until 1 a.m. When I go to the bathroom, your light is on, and you're on your phone. That's not healthy. So, can we come up with a plan that you're most comfortable with?"

5. Follow the rules yourself.

As a parent, you are a role model and that means following all the same rules you are setting for your children-if you ask your teenager to limit their screen time, you should do so as well, says Dr. Mayes, noting that it's not uncommon to see parents looking at their phones when they are out with their kids.

You might have a hard time resisting your social media feeds, texts, and emails. Sometimes, it helps to admit to your teenagers that you find it difficult to put down your devices, too. "This a global issue, where parents want their kids to do things differently and better than they do," Dr. Poncin says. "So, once again, having an honest conversation is important."
Note: Cyberbullying and online abuse or exploitation can be reported to the school or the police, or on websites such as Take It Down and CyberTipline, according to the Surgeon General report.

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How Social Media Affects Your Teen's Mental Health: A Parent's Guide

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A 2023 U.S. Surgeon General advisory cited growing concerns that social media use impacts young people's mental health. Yale experts offer advice to parents.

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2023-2024 Update: A guide for helping kids build healthy and safe digital habits

We hear directly from youth that their lived reality is one seamless environment with little distinction between their digital and non-digital experiences - making digital wellness a journey, not an end state.

With technology constantly evolving, we understand that parents and caregivers may feel concerned, confused, or even guilty about their decisions around their children's use of screens. We recommend that instead of worrying about how you're handling your child's technology use, ask yourself, "How can I help my child utilize interactive media in a way that creates a positive effect on their overall mental and physical health?"

Because we know from our research that technology and digital media, when used with intention, can support well-being, we have designed this guide to empower families as they navigate their way through the ongoing process of intentional engagement with these powerful tools, both online and off.

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Family Digital Wellness Guide - The Digital Wellness Lab

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We hear directly from youth that their lived reality is one seamless environment with little distinction between their digital and non-digital experiences - making digital wellness a journey, not an end state.

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State of Media Literacy Education Report 2024

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State of Media Literacy Education Report 2024

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State of Media Literacy Education Report 2024

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NAMLE is excited to release our new report, which details the findings of our 2023 media literacy education survey.

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Resource Guide for Pediatricians: School Phone Policies

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Resource Guide for Pediatricians: School Phone Policies

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Many states, school districts, and individual schools will be implementing new phone policies in the coming year, and pediatric clinicians may be asked to contribute to discussions. Here, the AAP Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health offers a few tips based on our review of the research and what we have heard from teachers and students. Like everything related to kids, technology, mental health, and school achievement, this is a complicated topic. Solutions will need to consider the needs of students, teachers, families, school staff, and other impacted parties. Solutions should also consider the multifaceted roles that media plays in the lives of children and teens.

What does the research say?

Research is clear that phones are a distraction in school. Notifications and the temptation to check social media, video games, and online videos can interrupt children and teens' learning and distract the other students around them. Phones can be used for bullying, through abusive texts or images sent via chats or social media. Many students report that other students have taken photos or videos of them without their permission. The majority of teachers in the US say that phones are a distraction, source of arguments, and make their jobs harder.

Research on the effectiveness of school phone policies is limited (please see this Center of Excellence Questions & Answer post for an in-depth review), and to date, there are no peer-reviewed studies of school phone policies in the US. However, we can learn from international data, summarized here:

One study in England found that standardized test scores increased after high schools implemented phone policies that didn't allow phones on school campuses.

Another study in Sweden found no positive academic impact of phone policies, but this may be because schools in Sweden have traditionally integrated technology into classroom teaching, so technology use may not be as disruptive.

A study in Spain found some improvements in middle schoolers' standardized test scores and reduction of bullying in one school district after implementing a ban on "personal use" of phones in schools.

A recent study in Norway that hasn't been peer-reviewed yet found that middle school phone bans were followed by a decrease in bullying overall and increased grades in girls, particularly those from lower-socioeconomic status households.

None of this research yet points to the best way to implement a school phone policy in middle or high school - for example, whether it's better to have phones put in a locker all day, in a cubby during class, or accessible but with distracting apps deactivated - and hopefully in the coming year there will be more evidence about best practices.

If you are asked to help plan a school phone policy, what should you focus on?

Pediatric providers can advocate for these important components of a phone policy:

Experts recommend that phone policies take into account the views of multiple impacted groups, including caregivers, students, teachers, school mental health providers, school nurses and other school health staff, and school administrators.

Caregivers should be provided support in how to help students follow the policy, for example changing settings on the child or teen's device to block unnecessary distractions and avoiding texting or calling the student during the school day.

Teachers should have support from administrators in knowing the best ways to implement a policy and how to respond when students aren't following it.

Children and teens with disabilities who use technology for communication or to assist with academic work should have appropriate technology access outlined in their 504 plan or Individualized Educational Program.

Students should have equitable access to technology used for academic purposes. In schools that require tests or schoolwork to be completed online, students may need to use phones to complete work if school-issued technology is forgotten or broken and the school can't provide a loaner.

Students with health needs should be able to access their phone or other technology needed to manage their care (e.g. diabetes devices like glucose sensors and insulin pumps).

Consequences for violating the policy should be very clear, communicated in writing and on the school website, and sent home to students and caregivers. Ideally, consequences should be constructive (for example, meeting with a school social worker, addressing academic struggles) rather than punitive (for example, suspension).

Other things to consider:

Phone settings are important: Android phones, iPhones, and Apple Watches have settings that can shut down non-essential apps and notifications during school hours. This can reduce the temptation to check during class time but could keep essential messaging or phone apps available.

If caregivers are worried that they won't be able to contact their child during school hours, for example with a family emergency or change in pickup plans, make sure the school communicates alternate ways families can quickly get in touch with students (for example, through the main office). Ways for students to contact their caregivers should also be provided.

Unfortunately, many US caregivers are worried about school shootings or violence and want to be able to contact students instantly. They can be encouraged to voice these concerns with the school and ask about a plan for students to safely get their phones in case of an emergency.

Remember that student cell phones can be important tools for school health staff and school-based health centers to reach both students and caregivers about time-sensitive health concerns during the school day. This can include confidential or sensitive care for adolescents such as reproductive or mental health services. Accommodations can be made for students to contact school health staff and caregivers regarding health issues during the school day.

Some students may struggle more than others in separating from their phones. Teachers and school mental health providers can use this as a digital self-reflection opportunity (why is it so hard to put technology down? What are we afraid of missing?) and identify the underlying reasons kids are seeking escape during class time.

For students who use music or meditation apps to calm their emotions during the school days, caregivers can work with the school on alternate ways to access these apps (for example, through a school-issued device) or teaching other self-regulation strategies.

Encourage boundaries around school-issued devices too, so that students don't just switch their distractions to a different screen.

Remember that students don't simply use technology because they are "addicted" - their habits of phone use during school are driven by the habit-forming features of devices, their drive to connect with friends, or vulnerabilities that make them want to withdraw from learning and socializing. They use phones to coordinate with family, work, and after-school activities. It may be wise to interpret recurrent phone policy violations as a symptom of an underlying issue that the student needs help with - rather than defiance. Pediatric providers can be a strong source of advocacy for students to get the help they need.

Helpful Resources:

Acknowledgements: We thank leaders from the AAP Council on Communications and Media, Council on Children with Disabilities, Council on School Health, Council on Community Pediatrics, and Council on Adolescents and Young Adults for their review of this resource.
Funding for the Center of Excellence was made possible by Grant No. SM087180 from SAMHSA of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, SAMHSA/HHS or the US Government.

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Resource Guide for Pediatricians: School Phone Policies

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Read our tips, and factors to consider, when discussing implementing a school phone policy.

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Are Cell Phone Bans in Schools the Answer?

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Are Cell Phone Bans in Schools the Answer?

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What the Science Says: Smartphones in Schools

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What the Science Says: Smartphones in Schools

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In our April 2024 blog post, Are Cell Phone Bans in Schools the Answer?, we shared some of the steps we believe school administrators and policymakers should consider when designing and deploying smartphone policies in schools. Here, we dive into some of the current research around the impacts of cell phone policies in schools and their impact on students.

Classroom Learning

Many schools and school districts cite a goal of reducing classroom distractions and increasing academic achievement as a driver of their cell phone bans. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of high school teachers, a third of middle school teachers, and even 6% of elementary school teachers say that "students being distracted by their cellphones in the classroom is a major problem" (Lin, Parker, & Horowitz, 2024).

There is some evidence that banning cellphones in schools may have some positive effects on the academic achievement of students, particularly students who are already struggling with academic grades or who come from low socioeconomic backgrounds (Abrahamsson, 2024; Beland & Murphy, 2016). Another study found little improvement, but was conducted over very brief periods of time, and with a sub-optimal sample size (i.e. a day without phones; Gajdics & Jagodics, 2021).

Most classroom cell phone bans are seeking to reduce the distractions presented by unstructured use of cellphones, such as social media pings, text messaging, and video games. On this topic, evidence for the negative effects of media multitasking is more clear than some of the other facets of a smartphone ban. For example, young people with greater media multitasking behaviors demonstrate lower test scores and poorer working memory capacity (Cain et al., 2016). (Working memory is the short-term memory fundamental to learning and performing complex cognitive tasks (Cowan, 2014)).

Even amid the challenges smartphones present in a classroom setting, there is a role for schools to teach students to use them as powerful tools for learning. Smartphones are one of the few tools that are nearly ubiquitous in the lives of all teens, regardless of socio-economic status (at least in the United States) (Rideout et al., 2022) and, with intentionality and training, educators could begin to harness the power of these tools for structured, multimedia learning in the future (Campbell et al., 2024).

Pro-Social Development

Some school administrators and advocates for cell phone bans reference a belief that students need opportunities to engage with one another face-to-face between classes and in downtimes (such as at lunch or recess).

Some research has indicated that social interactions can be negatively affected by the presence of cell phones (Dwyer et.al., 2018). However, we also know that, especially during and since Covid lockdowns in 2021, smartphones have served as important "third spaces" for tweens, teens, and young adults to find social connection (Cowan et al., 2021).

In our engagements with young people, and borne out by research, we understand that students, especially in high school, use phones much like adults do -they review their schedules, plan their days, and coordinate with friends, family, and co-workers. Smartphones can support students' autonomy, providing access to school learning management systems, calendars, and even information recording (Ricoy et.al., 2022). However, apps often managed by parents, like parental control apps, were recently reported to send the most notifications to teens' phones during school hours (Radesky et al., 2023), highlighting a shared sense of responsibility.

Researchers have also explored how removing devices from schools can affect non-academic parts of the school day, such as recess. A study conducted in Denmark found that a smartphone ban significantly increased the level of physical activity of students during indoor and outdoor recess (Pawlowski et al., 2021).

Student Safety

In the face of our current epidemic of gun violence in the United States, cell phones can provide a sense of comfort and control while we wait for safety regulations to catch up to students' and teachers' needs.

A recent Pulse Survey conducted by the Digital Wellness Lab to understand children's cell phone use found that over 80% of parents who provided their children with cell phones felt that the ability to connect with parents and being safe when away from home were important factors in getting their child the phone (Bickham et al., 2021). A 2024 survey by the National Parents Union found that 78% of parents whose children take a cell phone to school say that they want their child to have that phone available in the event of an emergency at their school (National Parents Union, 2024).

Little evidence exists to argue for or against the role of smartphones during school emergencies. In the absence of data, concerns about the distractions presented by cell phones during a time when students need to be paying close attention to instructions and the opportunities for supportive connection to family members during a frightening time are frequently mentioned (see: Chuck, 2024).

While conclusive evidence for the positive or negative effects of cell phones in active shooter scenarios is unavailable, research suggests that the presence of cell phones during these times, and the resulting data of images, video, and audio, may have fundamentally shifted the way we discuss and witness these rare yet devastating events (Eckstein, 2020).

Cyberbullying/bullying is a related and much more common safety issue in schools. Evidence on the effects of cell phone bans on cyberbullying is mixed, because there is a notable overlap between cyberbullying and more traditional, in person bullying; and even in the absence of phones, bullying is likely to continue without bullying-specific interventions (Selwyn & Aagaard, 2021).

The impacts of cell phone bans on other dangerous scenarios, such as sexual victimization, require further study. While predatory behavior certainly occurs on platforms accessible by cell phone, over half of adolescents who have been sexually extorted knew the perpetrator in real life (Wolak et al., 2018). A recent publication emphasized that bans might make it even more difficult for children who do circumvent restrictions to get help if they encounter something dangerous or uncomfortable (Rodriguez, 2024).

Conclusion & Considerations

Overall, a recent review of the evidence from 22 studies concluded that a one-size-fits-all solution for cellphones in schools and classrooms is unlikely to have strong effects, as the current state of research shows that the way cellphone bans affect students' mental health, academic achievement, and the likelihood of experiencing or engaging in cyberbullying is nuanced and complex (Campbell et al., 2024).

These results might suggest that cell phone policies are only one piece of the puzzle, with many other school environmental factors playing a role in outcomes.

Managing and implementing smartphone bans can be particularly challenging for educators and school administrators. Some research has explored how these bans take effect and found that they can cause tension between students and teachers, or be difficult to uphold even if teachers had a role in designing the policy (Grigic Magnusson et al., 2023).

While more in-depth and nuanced research is needed to guide the most effective practices for the impacts educators and families want to see, the era of the school phone ban is upon us. As school and district administrators think about how to craft cell phone policies for the digital age, we recommend considering the following:

Agree on goals: Determine the primary goal of the approach to cell phones before designing the policy. A policy designed to reduce distractions in the classroom may look different from a policy designed to reduce physical fights or one designed to increase in-person communication.

Obtain stakeholder buy-in: In designing tech policies for schools, a key goal should be ensuring that it is not difficult for teachers to implement. One of the best ways to do that is to get students' and families' buy-in. Administrators should involve all stakeholders - teachers, administrators, students, and families - in the conversation, before designing policies. It's important to understand the myriad needs of the community to ensure all voices, and needs, are accounted for in the policy.

Teach digital literacy: Develop a digital literacy approach to implement alongside a cell phone policy, to ensure that students and their parents/caregivers are learning the self regulation and digital engagement skills needed to manage their device usage in mentally, socially, and academically healthy ways.

Set a good example: Hold adults accountable to the same or similar policies within the school environment. Young people are particularly attuned to discordant or hypocritical rules. If they see their teachers working to maintain behavioral shifts similar to what we want to see from students, they are engaged in a community solution and not simply at the mercy of what they may see as a punishment if it is only levied for students.

References

Abrahamsson, S. (2024). Smartphone bans, student outcomes, and mental health [discussion paper]. NHH Department of Economics. Retrieved from https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4735240

Bickham, D. S., Hunt, E., Kavanaugh, J. R., & Rich, M. (2021). Understanding Children's First Cell Phones: Parents' Perspectives on Risks and Benefits. Boston, MA: Digital Wellness Lab.

Campbell, M., Edwards, E. J., Pennell, D., Poed, S., Lister, V., Gillett-Swan, J., Kelly, A., Zec, D., & Nguyen, T.-A. (2024). Evidence for and against banning mobile phones in schools: A scoping review. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools. https://doi.org/10.1177/20556365241270394

Chuck, E. (2024, September 7). Lifeline or distraction? Georgia shooting reignites debate over cellphones in schools. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lifeline-distraction-shooting-reignites-debate-phones-schools-rcna169920

Cowan, K., Potter, J., Olusoga, Y., Bannister, C., Bishop, J.C., Cannon, M., & Signorelli, V. (2021). Children's Digital Play during the COVID-19 Pandemic: insights from the Play Observatory. Je-LKS, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.20368/1971-8829/1135590

Dwyer, R.J., Kushlev, K., & Dunn, E.W. (2018). Smartphone use undermines enjoyment of face-to-face social interactions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 78, 233-239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2017.10.007

Lin, L., Parker, K., & Horowitz, J. M. (2024). What's it Like to Be a Teacher in America Today? Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2024/04/04/whats-it-like-to-be-a-teacher-in-america-today/

National Parents Union. (2024). In Case of Emergency: New Survey Finds Why Parents Say Children Should Have Their Cell Phone at School. https://nationalparentsunion.org/2024/09/06/in-case-of-emergency-new-survey-finds-why-parents-parents-say-children-should-have-their-cell-phone-at-school/

Pawlowski, C. S., Nielsen, J. V., & Schmidt, T. (2021). A Ban on Smartphone Usage during Recess Increased Children's Physical Activity. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(4), 1907. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041907

Radesky, J., Weeks, H.M., Schaller, A., Robb, M., Mann, S., and Lenhart, A. (2023). Constant Companion: A Week in the Life of a Young Person's Smartphone Use. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.

Ricoy, M.C., Martinez-Carrera, S., & Martinez-Carrera, I. (2022). Social overview of smartphone use by teenagers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(22), 15068. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph192215068

Rideout, V., Peebles, A., Mann, S., & Robb, M. B. (2022). Common Sense census: Media use by tweens and teens, 2021. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.

Rodriguez, A. (2024). Australia's dummy spit over kids on social media isn't the answer: We need an internet for children. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/sep/10/australias-dummy-spit-over-kids-on-social-media-isnt-the-answer-we-need-an-internet-for-children

Selwyn, N. and Aagaard, J. (2021), Banning mobile phones from classrooms-An opportunity to advance understandings of technology addiction, distraction and cyberbullying. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(1), 8-19. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12943

Wolak, J., Finkelhor, D., Walsh, W., & Treitman, L. (2018). Sextortion of Minors: Characteristics and Dynamics. Journal of Adolescent Health, 62(1), 72-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.08.014

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What the Science Says: Smartphones in Schools - The Digital Wellness Lab

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What the research tells us about smartphone use in schools, plus some thoughts for administrators as they work to determine what's right for their schools and districts.

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Online Safety for Youth: Tip sheet for parents/ caregivers

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Online Safety for Youth: Tip sheet for parents/ caregivers

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Online Safety for Youth - Children and Screens

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A child with a smartphone has access to the full spectrum of internet content – the good, the bad, and the ugly. The harms they encounter “are not theoretical,” says Marc Berkman, JD, CEO of Organization for Social Media Safety. “They are, by the clear evidence, severe, and they are pervasive.” Berkman cites recent research that has found:

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Suicide, Self-Harm, and Digital Media Use

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Suicide, Self-Harm, and Digital Media Use

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Suicide, Self-Harm, and Digital Media Use - Children and Screens

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Beauroy-Eustache, O.D., & Mishara, B.L. (2021). Systematic review of risk and protective factors for suicidal and self-harm behaviors among children and adolescents involved with cyberbullying. Preventive Medicine, 152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106684

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Health advisory on social media use in adolescence

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Health advisory on social media use in adolescence

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Psychological scientists examine potential beneficial and harmful effects of social media a use on adolescents' social, educational, psychological, and neurological development. This is a rapidly evolving and growing area of research with implications for many stakeholders (e.g., youth, parents, caregivers, educators, policymakers, practitioners, and members of the tech industry) who share responsibility to ensure adolescents' well-being. b Officials and policymakers including the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy have documented the importance of this issue and are actively seeking science-informed input. c

The recommendations below are based on the scientific evidence to date, and the following considerations.

A. Using social media is not inherently beneficial or harmful to young people. Adolescents' lives online both reflect and impact their offline lives. In most cases, the effects of social media are dependent on adolescents' own personal and psychological characteristics and social circumstances-intersecting with the specific content, features, or functions that are afforded within many social media platforms. In other words, the effects of social media likely depend on what teens can do and see online, teens' preexisting strengths or vulnerabilities, and the contexts in which they grow up. ³

B. Adolescents' experiences online are affected by both 1) how they shape their own social media experiences (e.g., they choose whom to like and follow); and 2) both visible and unknown features built into social media platforms.

C. Not all findings apply equally to all youth. Scientific findings offer one piece of information that can be used along with knowledge of specific youths' strengths, weaknesses, and context to make decisions that are tailored for each teen, family, and community. ⁴

D. Adolescent development is gradual and continuous, beginning with biological and neurological changes occurring before puberty is observable (i.e., approximately beginning at 10 years of age), and lasting at least until dramatic changes in youths' social environment (e.g., peer, family, and school context) and neurological changes have completed (i.e., until approximately 25 years of age). ⁵ Age-appropriate use of social media should be based on each adolescent's level of maturity (e.g., self-regulation skills, intellectual development, comprehension of risks) and home environment. ⁶ Because adolescents mature at different rates, and because there are no data available to indicate that children become unaffected by the potential risks and opportunities posed by social media usage at a specific age, research is in development to specify a single time or age point for many of these recommendations. In general, potential risks are likely to be greater in early adolescence-a period of greater biological, social, and psychological transitions, than in late adolescence and early adulthood. 7,8

E. As researchers have found with the internet more broadly, racism (i.e., often reflecting perspectives of those building technology) is built into social media platforms. For example, algorithms (i.e., a set of mathematical instructions that direct users' everyday experiences down to the posts that they see) can often have centuries of racist policy and discrimination encoded. ⁹ Social media can become an incubator, providing community and training that fuel racist hate. ¹⁰ The resulting potential impact is far reaching, including physical violence offline, as well as threats to well-being. ¹¹

F. These recommendations are based on psychological science and related disciplines at the time of this writing (April 2023). Collectively, these studies were conducted with thousands of adolescents who completed standardized assessments of social, behavioral, psychological, and/or neurological functioning, and also reported (or were observed) engaging with specific social media functions or content. However, these studies do have limitations. First, findings suggesting causal associations are rare, as the data required to make cause-and-effect conclusions are challenging to collect and/or may be available within technology companies, but have not been made accessible to independent scientists. Second, long-term (i.e., multiyear) longitudinal research often is unavailable; thus, the associations between adolescents' social media use and long-term outcomes (i.e., into adulthood) are largely unknown. Third, relatively few studies have been conducted with marginalized populations of youth, including those from marginalized racial, ethnic, sexual, gender, socioeconomic backgrounds, those who are differently abled, and/or youth with chronic developmental or health conditions.

Recommendations

1. Youth using social media should be encouraged to use functions that create opportunities for social support, online companionship, and emotional intimacy that can promote healthy socialization

Data suggest that youths' psychological development may benefit from this type of online social interaction, particularly during periods of social isolation, when experiencing stress, when seeking connection to peers with similar developmental and/or health conditions, and perhaps especially for youth who experience adversity or isolation in offline environments. 12, 13,14,15

Youth with symptoms of mental illness, such as adolescents with social anxiety, depression, or loneliness, for instance, may benefit from interactions on social media that allow for greater control, practice, and review of social interactions. ¹⁶ Unfortunately, these populations may also be at higher risk for some of the negative facets of social media use as discussed below. ¹⁷

Social media offers a powerful opportunity for socialization of specific attitudes and behaviors, encouraging adolescents to follow the opinions and prosocial acts of others. ¹⁸ The discussion of healthy behaviors online can promote or reinforce positive offline activity and healthy outcomes.

Social media may be psychologically beneficial particularly among those experiencing mental health crises, ¹⁹ or members of marginalized groups that have been disproportionately harmed in online contexts. For instance, access to peers that allows LGBTQIA+ and questioning adolescents to provide support to and share accurate health information with one another is beneficial to psychological development, and can protect youth from negative psychological outcomes when experiencing stress. ²⁰ This may be especially important for topics that adolescents feel reluctant to or are unable to discuss with a parent or caregiver.

2. Social media use, functionality, and permissions/consenting should be tailored to youths' developmental capabilities; designs created for adults may not be appropriate for children.

Specific features (e.g., the "like" button, recommended content, unrestricted time limits, endless scrolling) and notices/alerts (e.g., regarding changes to privacy policies) should be tailored to the social and cognitive abilities and comprehension of adolescent users. ²¹ As one example, adolescents should be informed explicitly and repeatedly, in age-appropriate ways, about the manner in which their behaviors on social media may yield data that can be used, stored, or shared with others, for instance, for commercial (and other) purposes.

3. In early adolescence (i.e., typically 10-14 years), adult monitoring (i.e., ongoing review, discussion, and coaching around social media content) is advised for most youths' social media use; autonomy may increase gradually as kids age and if they gain digital literacy skills. However, monitoring should be balanced with youths' appropriate needs for privacy.

Brain regions associated with a desire for attention, feedback, and reinforcement from peers become increasingly sensitive beginning in early adolescence, and regions associated with mature self-control are not fully developed until adulthood. ⁵ Parental monitoring (i.e., coaching and discussion) and developmentally appropriate limit-setting thus is critical, especially in early adolescence.

Adults' own use of social media in youths' presence should also be carefully considered. Science demonstrates that adults' (e.g., caregivers') orientation and attitudes toward social media (e.g., using during interactions with their children, being distracted from in-person interactions by social media use) may affect adolescents' own use of social media.

Preliminary research suggests that a combination of 1) social media limits and boundaries, and 2) adult-child discussion and coaching around social media use, leads to the best outcomes for youth. ²²

4. To reduce the risks of psychological harm, adolescents' exposure to content on social media that depicts illegal or psychologically maladaptive behavior, including content that instructs or encourages youth to engage in health-risk behaviors, such as self-harm (e.g., cutting, suicide), harm to others, or those that encourage eating-disordered behavior (e.g., restrictive eating, purging, excessive exercise) should be minimized, reported, and removed; ²³ moreover, technology should not drive users to this content.

Evidence suggests that exposure to maladaptive behavior may promote similar behavior among vulnerable youth, and online social reinforcement of these behaviors may be related to increased risk for serious psychological symptoms, even after controlling for offline influences. ²⁴

Reporting structures should be created to easily identify harmful content, and ensure it is deprioritized or removed.

5. To minimize psychological harm, adolescents' exposure to "cyberhate" including online discrimination, prejudice, hate, or cyberbullying especially directed toward a marginalized group (e.g., racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, ability status), ²² or toward an individual because of their identity or allyship with a marginalized group should be minimized.

Research demonstrates that adolescents' exposure to online discrimination and hate predicts increases in anxiety and depressive symptoms, even after controlling for how much adolescents are exposed to similar experiences offline. ²⁵ Similarly, research indicates that as compared to offline bullying, online bullying and harassment can be more severe, and thus damaging to psychological development. ²⁶⁻²⁸ In other words, both online cyberhate and offline bullying can increase risk for adolescent mental health problems. Research suggests elevated risks both for the perpetrators and victims of cyberhate. 29,30

Adolescents should be trained to recognize online structural racism and critique racist messages. Research shows that young people who are able to critique racism experience less psychological distress when they witness race-related traumatic events online. ²⁵ As noted above, adults' monitoring and active discussion of online content can also reduce the effects of exposure to cyberhate on adolescents' psychological adjustment. ²²

6. Adolescents should be routinely screened for signs of "problematic social media use" that can impair their ability to engage in daily roles and routines, and may present risk for more serious psychological harms over time.

Indicators of problematic social media use include

a tendency to use social media even when adolescents want to stop, or realize it is interfering with necessary tasks

spending excessive effort to ensure continuous access to social media

strong cravings to use social media, or disruptions in other activities from missing social media use too much

repeatedly spending more time on social media than intended

lying or deceptive behavior to retain access to social media use

loss or disruption of significant relationships or educational opportunities because of media use³¹

Social media use should not restrict opportunities to practice in-person reciprocal social interactions, and should not contribute to psychological avoidance of in-person social interactions.

7. The use of social media should be limited so as to not interfere with adolescents' sleep and physical activity.

Research recommends adolescents get at least eight hours of sleep each night ³² and maintain regular sleep-wake schedules. Data indicate that technology use particularly within one hour of bedtime, and social media use in particular, is associated with sleep disruptions. 33,34 Insufficient sleep is associated with disruptions to neurological development in adolescent brains, teens' emotional functioning, 35,36 and risk for suicide. 37,38

Adolescents' social media use also should not interfere with or reduce adolescents' opportunities for physical activity and exercise. ³⁹ Research demonstrates that physical activity is essential for both physical and psychological health (i.e., lower rates of depression). ⁴⁰

8. Adolescents should limit use of social media for social comparison, particularly around beauty- or appearance-related content.

Research suggests that using social media for social comparisons related to physical appearance, as well as excessive attention to and behaviors related to one's own photos and feedback on those photos, are related to poorer body image, disordered eating, and depressive symptoms, particularly among girls. 41,42,43,44,45,46

9. Adolescents' social media use should be preceded by training in social media literacy to ensure that users have developed psychologically-informed competencies and skills that will maximize the chances for balanced, safe, and meaningful social media use.

Emerging science offers preliminary support for the efficacy of Digital Citizenship and Digital Literacy ⁴⁷ to increase the frequency of positive interactions online; however, more research is needed in this area. ⁴⁸

Additional competencies could also include:

questioning the accuracy and representativeness of social media content

understanding the tactics used to spread mis- and disinformation

limiting "overgeneralization" and "misestimation" errors that lead users to incorrectly estimate others' behaviors or attitudes based on social media content (or reactions to content)

signs of problematic social media use

how to build and nourish healthy online relationships

how to solve conflicts that can emerge on social media platforms

how to refrain from excessive social comparisons online and/or better understand how images and content can be manipulated

how to recognize online structural racism and critique racist messages

how to safely communicate about mental health online⁴⁹

10. Substantial resources should be provided for continued scientific examination of the positive and negative effects of social media on adolescent development.

A substantial investment in research funding is needed, including long-term longitudinal research, studies of younger children, and research on marginalized populations.

Access to data among independent scientists (including data from tech companies) to more thoroughly examine the associations between social media use and adolescent development is needed.

APA's latest resources

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Expert advisory panel

Co-chairs

Mary Ann McCabe, PhD, ABPP, member-at-large, Board of Directors, American Psychological Association; associate clinical professor of pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine

Mitchell J. Prinstein, PhD, ABPP, chief science officer, American Psychological Association; John Van Seters Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Members

Mary K. Alvord, PhD, director, Alvord, Baker & Associates; board president, Resilience Across Borders; adjunct associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

Dawn T. Bounds, PhD, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, assistant professor, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine

Linda Charmaraman, PhD, Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College

Sophia Choukas-Bradley, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh

Dorothy L. Espelage, PhD, William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Joshua A. Goodman. PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, Southern Oregon University

Jessica L. Hamilton, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, Rutgers University

Jacqueline Nesi, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Brendesha M. Tynes, PhD, Dean's Professor of Educational Equity, University of Southern California

L. Monique Ward, PhD, professor, Department of Psychology (Developmental), University of Michigan

Lucía Magis-Weinberg, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, University of Washington

Acknowledgements

We wish to acknowledge the outstanding contributions to this report made by Corbin Evans, JD, senior director of congressional and federal relations, American Psychological Association.

Selected publications and resources

1. Nesi, J., Dredge, R., Maheux, A. J., Roberts, S. R., Fox, K. A., & Choukas-Bradley, S. (2023). Peer experiences via social media. In B. Halpern-Felsher (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Health (pp. 182-195). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818872-9.00046-7

2. Prinstein, M. J., Nesi, J., & Telzer, E. H. (2020). Commentary: An updated agenda for the study of digital media use and adolescent development-Future directions following Odgers & Jensen (2020). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 349-352. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13219

3. Noble, S. U. (2018). Algorithms of oppression: How search engines reinforce racism. New York University Press. https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9781479833641.001.0001

4. Nesi, J., Mann, S. and Robb, M. B. (2023). Teens and mental health: How girls really feel about social media. San Francisco, California: Common Sense

5. Introduction to the Age appropriate design code | ICO. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/ico-codes-of-practice/age-appropriate-design-code/

6. Tools and tips to help communicate safely online about suicide - #chatsafe - Orygen, Revolution in Mind. (n.d.). Retrieved April 20, 2023, from https://www.orygen.org.au/chatsafe.

7. Li, C., Wang, P., Martin-Moratinos, M., Bella-Fernández, M., & Blasco-Fontecilla, H. (2022). Traditional bullying and cyberbullying in the digital age and its associated mental health problems in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-022-02128-x

8. Fioravanti, G., Bocci Benucci, S., Ceragioli, G., & Casale, S. (2022). How the exposure to beauty ideals on social networking sites influences body image: A systematic review of experimental studies. Adolescent Research Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-022-00179-4

9. Common Sense Media. (2019, May 10). Digital citizenship | Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship

10. Magis-Weinberg, L., Muñoz Lopez, D. E., Gys, C. L., Berger, E. L., & Dahl, R. E. (2022). Short research article: Promoting digital citizenship through a school-based intervention in early adolescence in Perú (a pilot quasi-experimental study). Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.12625

11. Choukas-Bradley, S., Kilic, Z., Stout, C. D., Roberts, S.R. (2023). Perfect storms and double-edged swords: Recent advances in research on adolescent social media use and mental health. Advances in Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypsc.2023.03.007

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Health advisory on social media use in adolescence

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This health advisory provides 10 recommendations to ensure that teens develop healthy social media practices.

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Digital Well-Being: Evidence-Based Lessons for the Classroom

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Digital Well-Being: Evidence-Based Lessons for the Classroom

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Digital Well-Being: Evidence-Based Lessons for the Classroom - edWeb

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Learn about a (free) collection of new lessons that help bring digital well-being support into the classroom.

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Fact Sheet: Using MTSS to Support Student Well-being

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Fact Sheet: Using MTSS to Support Student Well-being

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Using MTSS to Support Student Well-being: New Fact Sheets for Schools

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Using MTSS to Support Student Well-being: New Fact Sheets for Schools

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Using MTSS to Support Student Well-being: New Fact Sheets for Schools | IES

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This blog introduces five fact sheets focused on multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS)--a framework for implementing a cohesive set of evidence-based programs and practices--to promote students’ social, emotional, and mental health.

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Teaching Healthy Digital Habits in Schools

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Teaching Healthy Digital Habits in Schools

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How to Help Students Resist Their Phones and Develop Better Digital Habits

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Excessive phone use can lead to depression and poor school performance, but building academic confidence can forge healthier habits.

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Developing Students’ Digital Citizenship Skills

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Developing Students’ Digital Citizenship Skills

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Teaching students to develop an awareness of data security, online etiquette, and cyberbullying helps them make better decisions online.

Digital Citizenship Week is celebrated in October each year. The focus is on building digital citizenship skills with events planned for schools to join in and learn more. These are concepts that teachers and schools should focus on throughout the year as well. With the increased use of digital tools in our classrooms and the amount of technology used in everyday life and work, we must provide learning opportunities for students to develop "digcit" skills all year long.

Being a responsible digital citizen means that all individuals are able to use technology ethically, responsibly, and effectively. It is important to develop an understanding of the impact that one's digital actions can have on other individuals and on society as a whole. Students and teachers must be able to keep themselves safe, know how to protect their privacy, learn how to critically analyze information, and engage in respectful interactions online.

Vital digital citizenship skills

Privacy and security: With increased data collection and online tracking of websites we use and how our information is shared, understanding how to safeguard our privacy is key. With more students using digital tools and at a younger age, it is essential to build in activities that will help students to better understand how to protect themselves and to respect the privacy of others as well. For instance, teaching students how to create unique passwords is key for securing personal information. With the increase in cybersecurity attacks over the past few years, updating passwords and even using two-factor authentication (TFA) will help to keep everyone safer.

Communication: With the variety of social media platforms available and how quickly we can post and respond, providing opportunities for students to practice responsible posting is an area that we need to focus on regularly. Even with young students, simulating an X (formerly Twitter) chat or other online discussion can be done using sticky notes, for example. Depending on grade level, another option is to use a tool like Padlet to help students learn how to properly post and interact with one another.

Cyberbullying: Because of the instant access to posting online, cyberbullying is a serious topic that needs to be discussed in every classroom. All educators can place a greater emphasis on recognizing and preventing cyberbullying by teaching students to be empathetic online. It is always a good idea to remind students to think before posting and offer tips for how to respond to or speak up against cyberbullying. Schools should have guidelines in place for students to understand their rights and responsibilities when it comes to technology use.

Tools and resources

There are a variety of activities and tools available that educators can bring into their classroom to give students the chance to engage in independent learning to develop digital citizenship skills. Some of these offer lessons that teachers can work through with students and make time for in class discussion, which leads to a more authentic and meaningful learning experience about the importance of responsible use of technology.

21 Things 4 Students is a site that offers free activities for students in grades five through nine to learn more about online safety and to build technology skills.

Be Internet Awesome is available via Google and offers a curriculum for teaching online safety and digital citizenship in the classroom. The resources include activities, charts, guides, and Google Slides. They also provide a family guide and reference charts in both English and Spanish.

Book Creator has three books focused on digital citizenship to help educators get started in their classroom. Also, by using Book Creator, students can collaborate with classmates to create a book and learn how to post and interact responsibly, access and use information, and build their digital citizenship skills.

BrainPOP provides a series of lessons focused on Digital Citizenship. There are 20 topics available and free lessons on digital etiquette and conflict resolution. Lesson plans and a variety of activities are included with each focus area.

Common Sense Media provides a variety of resources that focus on digital citizenship, media literacy, balancing the use of technology, and more. Their Digital Citizen materials are a fun and interactive way to teach students about internet safety.

EverFi offers activities and lessons on a variety of topics for students in grades K through 12. There are lessons on digital literacy and wellness that cover staying safe online and identity protection, with some lessons available in languages in addition to English.

Nearpod has a variety of lessons available that are specific to grade levels and topics focused on digital citizenship. They created a series of lessons for Digital Citizenship Week that cover topics such as cyberbullying, digital literacy, and online safety for students in grades K through 12.

sharing the importance of digital citizenship

In my eighth-grade STEAM course, we talk a lot about digital citizenship throughout the year. We use all of the abovementioned resources and engage in discussions about the concerns that come up. A few years ago, I started to teach my students how to sketchnote and used it as an opportunity to have them create PSAs to share information about one of the elements of digital citizenship they selected. I displayed their sketchnotes in our hallway to serve as reminders of the importance of digital citizenship. As an extension activity, a tool like Buncee allows students to create a Digital Citizenship PSA poster based on what they have learned.

The rapid evolution of technology, especially with generative AI, means that we need to consistently help students learn how to evaluate online sources, identify fake news, and develop skills in analyzing multimedia content carefully and critically. In some cases, students may overly rely on technology, which is why it's important to provide opportunities for students to find balance in the use of tech and to learn how to use it responsibly and effectively.

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Developing Students' Digital Citizenship Skills

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Teaching students to develop digital citizenship skills such as how to protect their data helps them make better decisions online.

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A Multi-Tiered Approach to Digital Wellness

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A Multi-Tiered Approach to Digital Wellness

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A Multi-Tiered Approach to Digital Wellness

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Schools can take steps to combat the negative effects of social media and empower students to use digital media in safe, healthy ways.