The Pandemic, Technology, and the Mental Well-Being of Children Cybertraps 118
Increased Use of Technology
Explosion in the Use of Technology for Remote Learning
General Increase in Screen Time
90% of Kids Are Regular Social Media Users
Impact of Pandemic on Mental Well-Being of Children in General — Almost Certainly Bad
Some Disagreement as to Role of Technology and Social Media
Particular Challenges for Girls
Rise in Loneliness and Suicide Attempts
Access to Inappropriate Materials on Poorly Set-Up School Devices (or Personal Devices)
Impact on Student Privacy
What Are the Search Terms Used by the School to Flag Messages or Searches?
Emerging Technologies: Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence
Reasonable Limits on Screen Time for Children
Possible legislation by U.S. Congress and EU to force tech companies to do a better job protecting children
Increased surveillance of children by schools?
Better training of school employees to recognize symptoms and warning signs
More effective education regarding mental health; destigmatize
Encourage students to seek help for themselves or their classmates
"Even before the pandemic, mental health disorders in adolescents, such as depression and anxiety, were prevalent,” said Mott Poll co-director and Mott pediatrician Gary L. Freed, M.D., M.P.H."
"The pandemic caused significant stress and social disruption for kids that likely exacerbated these problems, as we’re seeing a growing number of young people face mental health concerns. This places a heavier burden on parents, health providers and other trusted adults in their lives to be aware of potential warning signs."
"Among teens, heavy users of social media (five-plus hours a day) are twice as likely to be depressed as non-users. Facebook's own research found that using Instagram led to body image issues for many teen girls. Screen time in general (TV, gaming, texting) is also linked to depression, but not as strongly."
"A new study did not find evidence of a direct link between teens’ increased use of social technology during the COVID-19 pandemic and changes to their well-being."
"Although the teens showed more problematic social technology behaviors overall, these behaviors were not necessarily linked to increased social anxiety, loneliness, or depression."
"Social technology can have a negative impact on any person’s well-being, but it can also be beneficial. The outcome depends on many factors and can’t be predicted just by looking at how often a person uses social media."
#2022-03-08 More States Are Allowing Students to Take ‘Mental Health Days.’ But Could the Practice Backfire? https://www.the74million.org/article/more-states-are-allowing-students-to-take-mental-health-days-but-could-the-practice-backfire/ ](<Show Notes https://www.cybertraps.com/additional-resources Increased Use of Technology A Global Issue Explosion in the Use of Technology for Remote Learning General Increase in Screen Time Algorithmic Rabbit Holes Scope of the Problem 90% of Kids Are Regular Social Media Users Impact of Pandemic on Mental Well-Being of Children in General — Almost Certainly Bad Some Disagreement as to Role of Technology and Social Media Particular Challenges for Girls Rise in Loneliness and Suicide Attempts Issues and Concerns Access to Inappropriate Materials on Poorly Set-Up School Devices (or Personal Devices) Impact on Student Privacy What Are the Search Terms Used by the School to Flag Messages or Searches? Emerging Technologies: Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence Responses Reasonable Limits on Screen Time for Children Possible legislation by U.S. Congress and EU to force tech companies to do a better job protecting children Increased surveillance of children by schools? Better training of school employees to recognize symptoms and warning signs More effective education regarding mental health; destigmatize Encourage students to seek help for themselves or their classmates Mental health days? Resources General #2022-03-21 Kids, teens and mental health: Parents report challenges in screening, getting care https://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/childrens-health/kids-teens-and-mental-health-parents-report-challenges-screening-getting-care "Even before the pandemic, mental health disorders in adolescents, such as depression and anxiety, were prevalent,” said Mott Poll co-director and Mott pediatrician Gary L. Freed, M.D., M.P.H." "The pandemic caused significant stress and social disruption for kids that likely exacerbated these problems, as we’re seeing a growing number of young people face mental health concerns. This places a heavier burden on parents, health providers and other trusted adults in their lives to be aware of potential warning signs." #2022-03-21 The pandemic has changed the way we perceive technology — and how we resist it https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/03/21/covid-technnology-zoom-fatigue-spyware/ #2022-03-21 Social media is turning 25. Let’s take a mental health checkup https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2022/03/21/social-media-is-turning-25-lets-take-a-mental-health-checkup/ First social media site: sixdegrees.com in 1997 #2022-02-15 Social anxiety in teens higher during pandemic; speaker gives ways to cope https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/social-anxiety-in-teens-higher-during-pandemic-speaker-gives-ways-to-cope/ #2022-02-08 Clues Your Teen May Be Facing a Mental Health Challenge https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20220208/clues-teen-facing-mental-health-challenge #2022-02-02 AHA News: Amid a National Mental Health Crisis For Kids, Here's How Parents Can Help https://consumer.healthday.com/aha-news-amid-a-national-mental-health-crisis-for-kids-here-s-how-parents-can-help-2656533386.html #2022-02-01 In pandemic’s isolation, an alarming number of teenage girls are attempting suicide https://www.texastribune.org/2022/02/01/teenage-girls-suicide-pandemic-covid/ #2021-11-18 US states investigate Instagram for ‘wreaking havoc’ on teens’ mental health https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/nov/18/instagram-investigation-teenagers-children-facebook Use of Technology #2022-03-20 Lawmaker Seeks to Ban Students’ Cell Phones From Nebraska Classrooms https://www.the74million.org/article/lawmaker-seeks-to-ban-cell-phones-from-nebraska-classrooms/ #2022-03-17 COVID-19 and Edtech for Schools: The apps are here to stay https://news.careers360.com/covid19-schools-online-classroom-edtechs-hybrid-learning-aicte-ugc-education-neat #2022-03-16 Social Media and Kids’ Mental Health: Q&A with Jean Twenge https://newscenter.sdsu.edu/sdsu_newscenter/news_story.aspx?sid=78708 "Among teens, heavy users of social media (five-plus hours a day) are twice as likely to be depressed as non-users. Facebook's own research found that using Instagram led to body image issues for many teen girls. Screen time in general (TV, gaming, texting) is also linked to depression, but not as strongly." #2022-03-16 Wake may be spying on your child’s school computer to look for dangerous behavior https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article259436694.html #2022-03-15 AI in Ed Tech: Privacy Considerations for AI-powered Ed Tech tools https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=91a1a3d2-1c02-4a26-8fcd-b17777d15310 #2022-03-14 Study: Social Media Didn’t Cause Teens’ Pandemic Stress https://www.verywellhealth.com/pandemic-teen-mental-health-dont-blame-social-media-5221966 "A new study did not find evidence of a direct link between teens’ increased use of social technology during the COVID-19 pandemic and changes to their well-being." "Although the teens showed more problematic social technology behaviors overall, these behaviors were not necessarily linked to increased social anxiety, loneliness, or depression." "Social technology can have a negative impact on any person’s well-being, but it can also be beneficial. The outcome depends on many factors and can’t be predicted just by looking at how often a person uses social media." #2022-03-08 Staff Editorial: Our dependence on technology is dangerous https://www.mvnews.org/staff-editorial-our-dependence-on-technology-is-dangerous/ #2022-03-08 Study: Too much screen time harmful on molecular level https://news.asu.edu/20220308-discoveries-study-too-much-screen-time-harmful-molecular-level #2022-03-07 Parents, help your teens protect their mental health with tech limits https://www.nebraskamed.com/behavioral-health/parents-help-your-teens-protect-their-mental-health-with-tech-limits #2022-03-07 What we know now about screen time for kids https://www.deseret.com/2022/3/7/22965534/what-we-know-now-about-screen-time-for-kids-jean-twenge-igen-social-media #2022-03-02 How digital wellbeing tools can help teens https://www.verizon.com/about/parenting/how-digital-wellbeing-tools-can-help-teens #2022-02-25 Linewize Webinar Stresses Need for K-12 Safety Monitoring https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/linewize-webinar-stresses-need-for-k-12-safety-monitoring #2022-02-24 Is virtual reality bad for our mental health? https://techmonitor.ai/emerging-tech/is-virtual-reality-bad-for-mental-health "Simulation sickness" Feeling of unreality #2022-02-24 Remote Learning Accidentally Introduced a New Danger for LGBTQ Students https://slate.com/technology/2022/02/remote-learning-danger-lgbtq-students.html #2022-02-23 City leaders sign off on contract to surveil students’ technology usage during school day https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2022/02/23/city-leaders-sign-off-on-contract-to-surveil-students-technology-usage-during-school-day/ #2022-02-21 Parents: 70% of kids spending more time in front of a screen than before coronavirus pandemic https://www.fingerlakes1.com/2022/02/21/parents-70-of-kids-spending-more-time-in-front-of-a-screen-than-before-coronavirus-pandemic/ Non-Tech Solutions #2022-03-14 MacPhee: Schools and Educators Are Uniquely Positioned to Support Students’ Mental Health. Here Are 7 Things They Can Do https://www.the74million.org/article/macphee-schools-and-educators-are-uniquely-positioned-to-support-students-mental-health-here-are-7-things-they-can-do/ #2022-03-08 More States Are Allowing Students to Take ‘Mental Health Days.’ But Could the Practice Backfire? https://www.the74million.org/article/more-states-are-allowing-students-to-take-mental-health-days-but-could-the-practice-backfire/> ;)