Technology as an Influence on Teens

Teens pick up quickly on advances in technology. Whether it's a new app everyone's using at school, a new social media platform or a gadget, technology is a pervasive part of teens' social lives. According to Pew Research, 78 percent of teens have a cell phone, approximately half of which have a smartphone. Ninety-five percent of teens use the Internet, and 93 percent of teens have access to a computer at home. Though technology itself doesn't spell disaster for your teen's well-being, it's important to educate yourself on its influence.

  1. Technology and Social Life

    • Peer pressure has always had a hold on teen behavior, and social media plays a key role in your child's decisions. A UW Madison study states that teens are more likely to engage in drinking, drug use or sex if their peers boast about these activities on social media. Kids younger than 16 are especially likely to believe any pictures or status updates they see are true, according to the study. Also, because teens don't often realize the permanence of things they post to the Internet, they're likely to make impulsive decisions (texting nude photos, for example) that will hurt their social lives.

    Technology and Physical Fitness

    • According to TIME magazine, the main contributing factor to teen obesity isn't a lack of physical activity, but an increase in food consumption. However, sedentary activities like video games, TV, cell phone and Internet use are often linked to mindless snacking, so technology can have a negative influence on your teen's physical health. Provide light snacks at home like fruit, whole grains, and yogurt for your teen to eat while she's watching TV or using her computer.

    Technology And Mental Health

    • Late night screen time is linked to increased stress, depression and sleep disorders, according to a 2012 study at the Birmingham Maple Clinic. If your teen seems exhausted, unable to finish his school work or uninterested in activities he used to enjoy, technology may be influencing his mental health. Encourage your teen to unplug an hour or so before bedtime and do another activity for relaxation -- yoga, meditation, reading or journal writing -- and model this kind of evening relaxation yourself.

    What You Can Do

    • If you suspect technology is negatively impacting your teen, it's possible to help her out. First, don't snoop -- nothing will destroy her trust in you more quickly than you reading her text messages or checking her computer. Instead, take advantage of teachable moments. If your family is watching a TV show in which a young person is sending nude photos on her phone, talk about what might happen with those photos, why that character felt the need to do that and so on. Encourage your teen to behave on social media the same way she would in real life, meaning she shouldn't say anything online that she wouldn't say to someone's face. Discuss perception versus reality: just because someone at school posts a picture to Instagram of herself holding a beer doesn't mean she's drunk or that everyone around her is drinking.

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