Social Media and Youth Mental Health Resources for Educators

Question: How can we encourage students (particularly middle and high school) to be present during activities that may or may not be outside of the regular school day? Some examples I am thinking of include student engagement during class time, student participation in class activities like wellness circles or reading time? It is challenging to engage middle and high school students to participate and be invested in their own individual experiences instead of scrolling or refreshing social media platforms. 

Answer: We hear frequently that it can sometimes be challenging to get adolescents (and adults!) to “be present”. With this challenge, it might be helpful to consider why adolescents are drawn to social media. Read the rest of this answer here.

Question: Do you know of any effective “diversion/intervention” type programming designed for kids who have struggled to maintain a healthy relationship with social media and with classmates on social media? I am looking for an educational resource designed for middle school students who have, unfortunately, used social media to be unkind, bully, promote false information, etc.

Answer: The good news is that anti-cyberbullying school-based intervention programs have been shown to significantly reduce cyberbullying. There is less evidence, however, that many of the new digital citizenship school-based programs that strive to teach students how to navigate digital technologies and their social ecosystems in healthy ways actually change students’ behaviors. Read the rest of this answer here.

Question: I am looking for an evidence-based curriculum to teach in a middle school setting for screen time and sleep. I appreciate any suggestions you may have.

Answer: When teens struggle to find balance around digital media use, it can negatively impact their sleep. Adequate sleep is an important part of mental well-being and brain development for adolescents, so it is important to support adolescents in using digital media in ways that won’t negatively impact their sleep. Rest the rest of this answer here.