Adolescence: Contemporary Issues and Resources

Adolescence: Contemporary Issues and Resources
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Social media platforms are an integral part of adolescents' lives. While there are many benefits associated with using social media, such as entertainment and connecting with family and friends, there are also major shortcomings due to the adverse effects of their use on adolescent behavior and overall well-being. This paper critically evaluates the impacts of social media, specifically social networking sites, on teenage behavior, general well-being, and external stressors related to the issue. It also identifies assessment strategies for screening the problem and the associated assessment's external stressors for an adolescent patient. It also discusses support options for those facing external stressors regarding social media use.
Social Media Use
Social media encompasses platforms that enable users to converse, create content, and share information. There are different kinds of social media, like photo-sharing sites, social networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, and many more. Research indicates that 97% of adolescents between 13 and 17 use social media for different purposes (Vidal et al., 2020). In addition, social networking sites are associated with external stressors related to increased cyberbullying rates that may cause social isolation and emotional distress among adolescents (Valkenburg et al., 2021). Substantially, continued social media leads to sleep deprivation and lower academic performance in adolescent users. Research indicates that adolescents who spend most of their time on social media report sleeping difficulties (Scott et al., 2019). In this vein, sleep deprivation is a prerequisite for reduced concentration, poor academic performance, and little motivation to participate in classroom engagements.
External Stressors
External stressors related to the use of social media among adolescents entail social isolation, inappropriate content exposure, and cyberbullying. Cyberbullying involves using electronic communication to send threatening and intimidating messages such that thy bully the individual. Adolescents who encounter social media cyberbullying may feel depressed, humiliated, and anxious. Also, social isolation is an external stressor related to social media use, whereby adolescents feel isolated from online activities and conversations. Exposure to unsuitable content is a significant external stressor to social media use (Valkenburg et al., 2021). Scott et al. (2019) assert adolescents using social media may have access to violent or explicit content that may adversely impact their mental and emotional well-being.
Assessment Strategies