Quality relationships and self-development can help stop problems early.
Like many young people of my age, I spent an inordinate amount of time in front of the television and on the phone, usually at the same time. My grandparents may have snorted at my eyes and ears being constantly connected to devices, but my frequent use of these items helped me connect with colleagues and use them today. It was part of how they formed their identity. It was considered normal adolescent behavior.
Today, it is also considered normal for teens to be frequently connected to their devices and the apps on them. And like anything else, it can be problematic if it’s done for overly negative reasons. In a casual conversation, someone might say that someone is “addicted to social media,” but addiction is a complex disease with serious consequences, and such terms should not be used lightly. It should not be done. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and similar manuals do not recognize social media addiction as an official diagnosis, so using such a label can be misleading. Rather, researchers often refer to “problematic” social media use in which young people exhibit addiction-like behavior that deviates from youth norms. Problematic use differs from frequent use due to the loss of control such users experience and the risk of developing more serious psychological problems over time.
It is worth noting that social media itself does not make young people lose control. The American Psychological Association says in its latest health recommendations regarding social media use:
“Social media use is neither inherently beneficial nor harmful to young people. Adolescents’ lives online reflect and influence their lives offline. In most cases, the effects of social media are Depends on, and intersects with, one’s own personal and psychological characteristics and social context; use certain content, features, or functionality offered within many social media platforms; in other words; The impact of social media can depend on what teens can do and be seen online, their existing strengths and vulnerabilities, and the context in which they thrive.”
This reflects an important tenet of media psychology. People give their all to the media, interact with it, and experience positive, negative, or neutral influences on the other side. Social media itself does not cause anything, either as a technological platform or as a modern mode of communication, but it has the potential to leverage and expand on what already exists.
This also means that “taking away” social media from young people, or forcing social media companies to regulate how they connect with their users, will not fully address the challenges we see with this type of digital connectivity. It means not resolved. Part of the answer lies in adults understanding the factors that can lead to problematic social media use and taking intentional steps to counter them.
Research results
Research we conducted at Springtide Research Institute shows that young people who have trusted the adults in their lives report lower levels of stress, loneliness, and social isolation. The importance of trusting relationships with adults is consistent with some of the latest research on problematic social media use. This study shows how connections and social support, both with peers and adults, especially parents, can reduce the likelihood of engaging in these behaviors. This is especially true during the early stages of problematic use.
Internalization of certain beliefs may also contribute to problematic social media use. Researchers Weiyu Zeng and his team surveyed Chinese girls between the ages of 11 and 16 and found that girls who had internalized a diluted ideal image were “more vulnerable to the addictive nature of social media.” , consistently engage in selfie-related behaviors and subsequently develop problematic social media use.” ” But quality friendships helped them avoid problematic social media use.
These findings suggest ways that parents and trusted adults can help steer young people away from problematic social media use. There is no guarantee that young people who develop high-quality relationships or develop certain traits will be able to avoid struggles with social media.But by having them, they may be better prepared to cope Any The difficulties that arise, whether it’s social media or other factors that can be problematic. Here are his four specific steps, based on research:
- Make sure young people spend quality time with their parents and peers. It has been found that teens who feel they have strong social support from their parents report less problematic use. Research shows that lonely teens use social media as a way to find connections, and those who feel moderate to high loneliness are more likely to use social media than those who don’t feel lonely. has been found to be more likely to be misused. Helping young people feel included and connected is a powerful way to avoid problematic use.
- Helping young people develop self-control early on. Research shows that self-control may be one of the personal factors that lowers the risk of problematic social media use. Parents can help children develop self-control by establishing routines and creating an environment where exercising self-control is consistently rewarded.
- We help young people develop resilience. Young people who are navigating difficult situations or difficult internal states may adopt negative coping styles, such as problematic social media use. When young people develop resilience, they develop a sense of competence and confidence, and can avoid falling into mental states that sometimes lead to problematic usage.
- Make sure to foster a healthy body image and sense of self, especially for all young people, except girls. It is common for young girls to start paying attention to body image and appearance standards before they are old enough to use social media. Unhealthy beliefs may exist even before you have a profile or account. If you have a better understanding of self-acceptance and positive body ideals, you will be less likely to succumb to problematic social media usage surrounding these issues.
Social media has great power to help young people connect, grow, and learn, so healthy use of social media should absolutely be supported. And while problematic social media use cannot be completely avoided, parents and trusted adults can take steps to help young people use these tools without abusing their enjoyment.
References
Bohr, M., Stevens GWJM, Finkenauer, C., and van den Eynden RJJM (2022). The course of problematic social media use in adolescents: A latent class growth analysis. child development, 93(2), 168-187. doi:10.1111/cdev.13712
Choukas-Bradley, S., Roberts, S. R., Maheux, A. J., et al. (2022). The perfect storm: A developmental sociocultural framework for the role of social media in adolescent girls’ body image concerns and mental health. Review of Clinical Child and Family Psychology, 25, 681–701. https://doi-org.fgul.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10567-022-00404-5
Leijse, M. M. L., Koning, I. M., van den Eijnden, R. J. J. M. (2023). The influence of parents and peers on adolescents’ problematic social media use was revealed. Computers in human behavior143.
van den Eijnden, RJJM, Lemmens, JS, and Chancellor Valkenburg (2016). Social Media Disorder Scale. Computers in human behavior, 61, 478-487. 10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.038
Wang, K., Frison, E., Eggermont, S., and Vandenbosch, L. (2018). Active public use of Facebook and adolescent loneliness: Evidence for a curvilinear relationship. Journal of Adolescence, 67, 35–44. https://doi-org.fgul.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.adolescent.2018.05.008
Zeng, W., Luo, Y., and Chen, H. (2023). Does internalization of dilute ideals increase adolescent girls’ problematic social media use? The role of selfie-related behaviors and friendship quality. youth and society. https://doi-org.fgul.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/0044118X231176849