Technology and Adolescent Health - Chapter 12: Adolescent Mental Health Challenges in the Digital World

The drastic changes in internet access, mobile phone use, and social media activity over the past few decades warrant an examination of how this exposure might relate to mental health issues in adolescence. This chapter will describe and discuss (1) the existing evidence examining associations between mental health and technology use including depression, anxiety, body dissatisfaction, attention-deficit disorders (and risks of distraction), and addictive behaviors and (2) the impacts of risky online communities on adolescents’ mental health, focusing on networks promoting proeating disorder behaviors and prosuicidality. Recommendations for parents, educators, and providers are included in each section.