Social Connections

Given the fact that the overwhelming majority of teens today are tethered to a smart phone or other device that keeps them linked on social networking sites, teens justifiably feel “on” all the time. Their peers judge every move, so the pressure is always on to be cute, clever, sexy, smart and popular.

For the first time, a generation of children is going through adolescence with smartphones ever-present. And although this generation is physically safer than those who came before them—they drink less, they learn to drive later, they’re holding off on having sex—psychologically, they are far more vulnerable.

“It’s not an exaggeration to describe this generation as being on the brink of the worst mental health crisis in decades,” wrote Jean Twenge, Ph.D., in an article for “The Atlantic.” A professor of psychology at San Diego State University and author of “iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood,” she says it’s primarily due to smartphones.

“Today’s teens are just not spending as much time with their friends in person, face-to-face, where they can really read each others’ emotions and get that social support,” she said in an interview with NPR’s “All Things Considered.” “We know from lots and lots of research that spending time with other people in person is one of the best predictors for psychological well-being and one of the best protections against having mental health issues.”

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