Understanding Technology Addiction in Middle School Girls: A Guide for Parents
Younger generations are considered “digital natives,” who have grown up relying on technology to meet their everyday needs. Meanwhile, parents are experiencing growing concerns about the effect that their reliance on technology has had on their social lives, self-esteem, and academic performance.
Many kids chalk it up to generational differences in how socially acceptable it is to be glued to a screen, yet, most teenagers agree that technology addiction is real. Between endless scrolling, comparing oneself to others, fear of missing out, and escaping into a virtual world, technology addiction can affect teen’s mental health in a variety of ways.
It can be difficult to differentiate between technology abuse and addiction, but if you are worried about how your daughter’s technology is affecting her wellbeing and relationships, there is help available.
The guide is meant to be comprehensive, but as such, not every section will be applicable to everyone. Instead, we invite you to click on the links in the table of contents to jump to the sections that most interest you.