Social Media Useful tool Unavoidable habit Beth Doll
Social Media Useful tool? Unavoidable habit? Beth Doll bdoll 2@unl. edu University of Nebraska Lincoln
The science of psychology has been far more successful on the negative than on the positive side. It is as if psychology has voluntarily restricted itself to only half of its rightful jurisdiction, the darker, meaner half (Abraham Maslow, 1970)
Psychology spent 50 years developing “a highly transferable science of mental illness” that could be used to “measure, understand build those characteristics that make life most worth living” Marty Seligman, 2011
Dual Factor Model of School Mental Health Suldo & Doll, in press
Positive emotions Engagement FLOURISHING Relationships Meaning Accomplishments
Social Media Technologies that allow youth to create and share content as well as applications that allow youth to actively participate in social networking.
Social media isn’t going away
Earlier Media Today’s Social Media Static websites Unidirectional communication Vetted content Professionals & experts controlled content Time, effort and skill required to post Listservs and restricted ‘members only’ sites Online discussions Bi-directional and multi-directional communication Users create and share content Few or no controls on content Social networking Blogging Multi-media Live-streaming and instantaneous posts Posts are very public And they persist into the future
Continuous 24 -7 access Can generate trauma Replicates rumination RISKS Encourages multitasking Exposure to dangerous individuals Interferes with time for relationships Promotes physical inactivity Sleep disturbance with excessive use
Vast information for learning And we can get this information out quickly Self-exploration, self-presentation, self- disclosure, creating & sharing ideas BENEFITS Increase social connectedness, belonging Easy access to mental health information Support groups for mental health conditions Adherence to treatment regimens
Social media & mental health • Youth with lower life satisfaction are heavier media users • Youth who use social media more than twice daily report more mental health problems • Compulsive internet use predicts youth mental health problems • Seeking but not receiving online support worsens depressive symptoms • Social media induced sleep disruptions predicted subsequent depressive symptoms • Approx. 4% of high school students are involved in compulsive internet use (ADHD and Autism Spectrum disorders at greatest risk) • Youth who visited a social media platform at least 58 times/week were 3 X more likely to feel socially isolated
Toxic content • Pro-anorexia websites offer ‘advice’ on how to purge or restrict food intake • Exposure to sexual content in media is associated with increased risky sexual behavior • Exposure to instructions in self-harm, drug taking, suicide content • Violent media models aggression; and combines with anonymity to diminish self-control • Cyberbullying follows you everywhere
The research: a chicken and egg problem • Some small & significant correlations between psychopathology and social media use • Quality of social media use more important than frequency • Much of the research used outdated technology (Facebook)
Youth & Social Media • Youth use digital media an average of 7. 5 hours/day • Nearly all use text messaging • 92% access the internet daily • Approx. 4% of high school students are involved in compulsive internet use • Ubiquitous access to smartphones • 31% youth report mostly positive effect; 45% neither positive nor negative
Youth Which media? (July 2016; Aug 2018) Snapchat Instagram Text messaging with phone, apps (Kik, Whats. App, Line) You. Tube (and half live-stream) Twitter Facebook is falling fast Their parents Facebook Pinterest
We need to create a generation of critical consumers of social media • Black out or usage limits have NOT worked What is effective • Parental supervision and communication re: media • Parental rules about internet usage • Training about social media risks and what to do
Mental health professionals must be fluent in social media Interface between clients and their digital world Communication through social media Digital presence • And what that means for their mental health Information dissemination Apps
https: //psyberguide. org • • PFA mobile CALM Smiling mind Go noodle
Beth Doll bdoll 2@unl. edu
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