Researcher Danny Muñoz Lopez studies the connection between media use and adolescent mental health and wellbeing. While the focus often centers on mental harms from technologies like social media, Lopez notes that social media can also provide connection for young people, especially for those from historically marginalized groups. She also emphasizes the need to include young people in discussions around children and technology.

Resources mentioned:

Social media test drive

https://socialmediatestdrive.org/

Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship

https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship

Adolescence is a time of enormous social, emotional, and physical change and development. A central part of that development, as kids enter those early teenage years, is developing a self-identity.

Clinical psychologist Robert Teel works with patients as young as 12 years old with a focus on digital use disorders. He explains more about this time of life and how identity development is playing out in the digital realm.

To measure the long-lasting impacts screen time use may be having on our kids, major long-running science-based research is needed.

The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study is looking to help by following the brain development of over ten thousand children over multiple years, tracking many aspects of children's lives, including screens.

A psychologist and principal investigator of the ABCD Study in San Diego shares some of the study’s findings on technology use and childhood development.

Research:

https://abcdstudy.org/

Bullying has grown beyond just the schoolyard.

As children’s social lives have moved increasingly online in recent years, the problem of cyberbullying has become a top concern for parents. A child psychiatrist shares helpful tips for parents when it comes to the dangers of cyberbullying and sextortion. Child psychiatrist Dr. Willough Jenkins shares helpful tips for parents to approach conversations with their kids about the dangers of cyberbullying and sextortion.

Resources:

https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it

What does video game addiction look like and what can we do about it? Dr. Clifford Sussman is a child psychiatrist who specializes in video game and internet addiction. He defines the problem, explains how to spot it, and some ways to treat it.

Resources:

https://www.childrenandscreens.org/learn-explore/research/digital-addictions-a-family-guide-to-prevention-signs-and-treatment/

Researcher and pediatrician Dr. Jason Nagata shares what he’s learned about screen time and its impact on the long term health of young people. His evidence-based research has led to important findings on how screen time can impact a child’s sleep, eating habits, and body image.

Dr. Nagata also explains what a family media plan is and why he feels creating one is something parents should consider.

Resources:

Family Media Plan from American Academy of Pediatrics

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/fmp/Pages/MediaPlan.aspx

Often, discussions around screen time and kids can feel like an all-or-nothing approach to screens is needed. Dr. Michael Rich prefers a more nuanced approach. The pediatrician and founder of the Digital Wellness Lab shares his tips for achieving a balanced and nuanced relationship to screens for families.

Research from the Digital Wellness Lab: https://digitalwellnesslab.org/resources/

“The Mediatrician’s Guide: A Joyful Approach to Raising Healthy, Smart, Kind Kids in a Screen-Saturated World.” https://digitalwellnesslab.org/articles/dr-rich-highlights-lab-research-in-his-new-book/ a