Washington – The American Psychological Association President’s Committee releases recommendations on the use of social media by youth, stating that while these platforms can promote healthy socialization, it is important to ensure that youth develop the appropriate skills. He pointed out that social media literacy training should be conducted before its use. Maximize your chances of having a balanced, safe and meaningful experience.
“Social media is neither inherently harmful nor beneficial to our youth,” said APA President Dr. Tema Bryant. “However, because young people develop at different rates, they may be more vulnerable than others to the content and features of many social media platforms, which science has proven can impact healthy development.” There are young people.
“Just as we require training for young people to obtain a driver’s license, young people need instruction in the safe and healthy use of social media.”
In an effort to provide guidance to educators, parents, policy makers, mental health and wellness professionals, technology companies, and young people themselves, Bryant established an advisory board to review relevant scientific literature. developed recommendations to help young people develop healthy social media habits. The result is the American Psychological Association’s Health Recommendations for Social Media Use in Adolescents, which includes 10 recommendations.
In addition to the psychological competencies that young people should develop before using social media, the report also recommends It is also recommended that you do some booster training.
The health advisory notes that not all findings apply equally to all young people. “Scientific findings, along with knowledge about a particular young person’s strengths, weaknesses, and circumstances, provide her one piece of information that can be used to make decisions tailored to each teen, family, and community.” I am. “Age-appropriate use of social media should be based on each youth’s level of maturity (self-regulation skills, intellectual development, understanding of risks, home environment, etc.).”
Other recommendations in the report include:
- Tailor social media use, features, and permissions to youth’s developmental abilities. Designs made for adults may not be suitable for children.
- For young children, adults should monitor social media use, including discussion and guidance regarding social media content. This must be balanced with the young person’s appropriate need for privacy. As children grow older and acquire digital literacy skills, autonomy may gradually increase.
- Providing illegal or psychologically maladaptive behavior, such as content that directs or encourages youth to engage in self-harm or high-risk behavior, or content that encourages eating disordered behaviors (e.g., eating, purging, or food restriction). Minimize youth’s exposure to social media content that depicts excessive exercise).
- Minimize youth’s exposure to online content that promotes discrimination, bigotry, hatred, or cyberbullying, especially groups that are targeted based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability status I will keep it to.
- Monitor your youth for signs of problematic social media use. This can impair their ability to engage in daily roles and activities, and can pose a risk of more serious psychological harm over time.
- Limit social media use to avoid interfering with adolescents’ sleep and physical activity. Both of these are necessary for healthy brain and psychological development.
- Restrict youth’s use of social media content primarily related to beauty and appearance.
The report notes that, given published research, it is not possible to determine whether social media is responsible for the harmful effects on young people. Additionally, relatively few studies have been conducted with youth from racial, ethnic, sexual, gender, socioeconomic, or disability populations, and/or with chronic developmental disabilities or health conditions.
The report calls for “significant investment in research funding” and access to more data, including data from tech companies.
“We hope these recommendations will be helpful as we all seek to keep pace with the rapidly changing social media ecosystem,” said APA CEO Dr. Arthur C. Evans Jr. Masu. “APA will continue to monitor current and future developments on the platform with the aim of protecting youth and enabling them to benefit from the positive aspects of social media.”
These recommendations are based on research in psychological science and related fields at the time of writing (April 2023). These studies completed standardized assessments of social, behavioral, psychological, and/or neurological functioning and reported (or observed) participation in specific social media features or content. The survey was conducted on thousands of young people.
The advisory committee is co-chaired by Dr. Mary Ann McCabe, Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and APA Director, and Dr. Mitch Prinstein, APA’s Chief Scientific Officer and John Van Seters Professor. Served. in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Other panel members:
Mary K. Alvord, Ph.D., Director, Alvord, Baker & Associates
Dr. Dawn T. Bounds, Assistant Professor, Sue and Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine
Dr. Linda Charmaraman, Wellesley Women’s Center, Wellesley College
Dr. Sophia Chokas Bradley, 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
Dr. Jessica L. Hamilton, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Rutgers University
Dr. Jacqueline Nesi, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University
Dr. Brendesha M. Tynes, Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Equity, University of Southern California
Dr. L. Monique Ward, Professor, Department of Psychology (Development), University of Michigan
Lucia Magis Weinberg, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Washington