ways to overcome social problems of youths essay

A business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

How Youth Can Help Solve the World’s Toughest Problems

March 30, 2018 • 15 min read.

Innovative ideas from young people are driving the successful targeting of poverty, hunger, climate change and health issues.

The World Bank's Mahmoud Mohieldin and Wharton senior fellow Djordjija Petkoski look at how strategic partnerships and innovative ideas from young people are playing a crucial role in tackling global issues.

Strategic partnerships and innovative ideas from young people are playing a crucial role in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 with the ambitious aim to end poverty and hunger, reduce inequality and tackle climate change. In a conversation with Knowledge at Wharton, Mahmoud Mohieldin, senior vice president for the 2030 Development Agenda, United Nations Relations, and Partnerships at the World Bank Group, and Djordjija Petkoski, a senior fellow at the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at Wharton, discuss why programs such as Ideas for Action , a joint initiative of the World Bank Group and the Zicklin Center, are important tools to engage young people in development issues.

An edited transcript of the conversation follows.

Knowledge at Wharton: Mahmoud, where do things stand in terms of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

Mahmoud Mohieldin: If you measure it by the number of presentations and submissions to the United Nations System through ministers of finance and development, it is on the increase. Many more countries have committed to presenting their plans for the 2030 agenda this year. That will bring the total of submissions and presentations to more than 110 countries. That’s more than half of the membership of the U.N., which is 193 countries.

If you look at the practical level — at how many countries have done better in terms of designing their own national plans, designing their own budgets to deal with the SDGs — I would say not all of those who submitted have done that. There is always a difference between what’s actually happening and the official presentations and the measure of that is how many countries have incorporated the SDGs in their budgets. You will be surprised to see that only a very small number of countries have done that so far. The justification could be that it’s only the third year since the launching of the SDGs, that some of the lines of business are continuing, but without naming or renaming them under the new SDGs. But coming from a finance institution, we take matters more seriously when we see that government plans are reflected in their budget priorities.

The third level, which is more important than the other two, is the local level. To what extent have you seen improvements in people’s lives, or in the policies and institutions addressing their concerns since the launch of the SDGs in 2015? The SDGs are about more inclusive growth, better social development, and better consideration for environment and climate change issues. Again, not all countries have done that at the local level.

“Coming from a finance institution, we take matters more seriously when we see that government plans are reflected in their budget priorities.” –Mahmoud Mohieldin

There are some good, bright cases. I was in Colombia recently and saw good progress there. There are other Latin American countries, including Mexico, which have taken this issue seriously. There are countries in the East, like China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, which have good investments in the connection between the central level and the local level. India has done well on that front, as well. In Africa, there are many issues that are constraining governments, but countries like Rwanda are doing very well. This doesn’t mean that others are not doing well. I’m trying to give examples of exceptional progress in terms of the commitment of the leadership and translating this commitment into localized solutions.

Knowledge at Wharton: Are you happy with the progress until now?

Mohieldin: It depends on the performance at the country level. It’s not my happiness but the people’s happiness that matters here. If there is improvement at the local level, if people are more engaged, and if one can see better impact on reduction of poverty, improvement on health and education services, and the rest of the 17 goals, every development agency and its staff like me are happy with the progress.

Knowledge at Wharton: Djordjija, one of the initiatives that you and the Zicklin Center have been collaborating on with the World Bank Group and other partners is Ideas for Action, which is a way to inspire young people to come up with ideas to make the SDGs a reality. How is that program coming along?

Djordjija Petkoski : Last year we were surprised because we doubled the proposals. This year we tripled the proposals. This clearly demonstrates tremendous interest from young people to be part of this process, to own the process, and at the same time, to come up with actionable ideas. What Mahmoud was referring to is that the government is signaling commitment to these issues, but the implementation will not happen just because the government engages. You have to engage the private sector. You have to engage young entrepreneurs. And that is what we want to do. In addition to students, we have young entrepreneurs and young professionals. They are not only putting pressure, they are also making the CEOs of their companies comfortable that they have young people working for them who can come up with innovative ideas.

We have over 2,100 proposals. The number of teams was four times higher than that. We had examples of business associations like the German-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce which utilized the network of companies to engage the young professionals to generate ideas. In Eastern Europe, a pharmaceutical company called Hemofarm used this as a platform not only to generate ideas to make itself more sustainable, but also to communicate to the government that corporations can get engaged if they have additional and critical knowledge of how to deal with these issues.

Knowledge at Wharton: What are some of the reasons that drove this increase in participation?

Petkoski: I think it’s the philosophy of the program — that it is not just about competition. It is a platform for learning, a platform for exchanging knowledge and for building critical local partnerships. We have made some major breakthroughs, for example in Egypt, and that was driven by the Ideas for Action Egypt Club. A major breakthrough in Nigeria was driven by the Ideas for Action African Club.

Knowledge at Wharton: Mahmoud, how does the Ideas for Action program fit in with what you and the World Bank are trying to achieve with the SDGs?

Mohieldin: One of the main things that came out from the U.N. discussions on the SDGs and one of the main things that we are pushing at the Bank is the issue of partnerships. It’s one of the goals of the Sustainable Development Agenda. In our case, it’s about how to rely on our own competitive advantage when it comes to finance or knowledge, but realizing as well that others have their own competitive advantages in their fields. For example, partnership with Wharton as a place of excellence for knowledge and academia, partnerships with the business sector, partnerships with young people who have their own ideas and their own ways of challenging the status quo.

“Implementation will not happen just because the government engages. You have to engage the private sector. You have to engage young entrepreneurs.” — Djordjija Petkoski

The Ideas for Action initiative actually started from here. I was invited by Djordjija four years ago to one of his classes. Based on the exchange of ideas and discussions, I called him on my way back to Washington, D.C., and said, “Why don’t we start having all of these ideas deinstitutionalized rather than having them come out from a seminar or a lecture? Let’s not limit it to Wharton. Let’s make it a big platform.” And so the idea developed. This is the fourth year. We have thousands of participants from around the world, from more than 120 countries, coming with their proposals.

Knowledge at Wharton: Do you think that it is primarily the developing countries that should be focusing on the SDGs, or is this also something for the developed countries to focus on?

Mohieldin: The main thing about the SDGs, in comparison to its predecessor the MDGs or the Millennium Development Goals which ended in 2015, is that the previous goals were mainly focusing on the developing countries, on human development. They had only eight goals. The new and the more challenging aspect of the SDGs is its universality. They are addressing the challenges in the poorest of the countries as well as the challenges of progress and maintaining what you have and improving on it in the most advanced of the economies.

Knowledge at Wharton: Djordjija, how do you select which are the best ideas that should be focused on and prioritized?

Petkoski: Those who make the selections are very motivated to do it. It’s an opportunity for them to understand the ground realities. People from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) or the World Bank who select the projects in a particular country get a pretty clear idea of what, from young people’s perspectives, are priorities for these countries. There are different layers of selection, and in each layer the young people get feedback on how to improve their proposals. So it’s a mutual learning process. The final proposals end up in the book which is published by the World Bank. So, yes, the selection takes time. But if you don’t look at it as a mechanical process, but as a process of learning and providing feedback for those who are participating, it’s very fulfilling.

Knowledge at Wharton: How do you see the role of innovation, and science and technology in the implementation of the SDGs and also in the ideas that are proposed through initiatives like Ideas for Action?

Mohieldin: The STI, or science, technology and innovation, were included in the documents of Addis [Addis Ababa Action Agenda], which are basically the documents relating to the implementation of the SDGs. There is a full chapter on that. Addis happened in July 2015. But because of the fast changes that are happening in the areas of science and technology and innovation, and the discussions about the implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, if you were to write this chapter today, it would be completely different in terms of how to handle it, the kinds of partnerships required. In the Addis Agenda, it would seem that it was primarily the responsibility of the government — perhaps to partner with centers of excellence and the private sector. In reality, you can see who is driving the change. Yes, government is involved in different aspects. It can incubate and support and give a good platform for the flourishing of new ideas and better technological solutions. But it is the private sector businesses and academia which are behind all of these new ideas.

I think rather than dealing with STI as a separate sector, it should be mainstreamed and integrated in every aspect of work, including how to get better data by using big data solutions and other means to get better evidence of what works and what doesn’t work. In finance, we must consider how we look at the use of technology — mobile money, crowdfunding, new technologies like blockchain with its good and as well as controversial outcomes. Or, how can technology enable a hospital or a clinic in a remote village to get the best ideas and solutions in health care from the U.S.?

Knowledge at Wharton: Djordjija, from your perspective of the Ideas for Action program, how do you see the role of academic institutions in making these kinds of initiatives successful?

Petkoski: Let me step back before directly answering that question. Recently, the Zicklin Center organized an event related to blockchain. There was an interesting presentation from a colleague from MIT who said, “Most of the destructive innovations in this space come from people between 24 and 28 years old.” So you ask the question, “What kind of education did they get before they got there?”

“Rather than dealing with science and technology and innovation as a separate sector, it should be mainstreamed and integrated in every aspect of work.” –Mahmoud Mohieldin

I think from an academic perspective we have at least two challenges. One is to go beyond the traditional boundaries, because in the space of blockchain you see people from the technology side and also lawyers to make sure that they don’t get in trouble. But business people are not there. I would argue that there is a disconnect between the most exciting technological solutions and the real needs on the ground that they can address. I think that Silicon Valley is already feeling it. There are no major new ideas coming from there because there is no major change in terms of identifying the problems that can be handled.

On the academia side, one big benefit of this whole initiative is that while we capture the reality on the ground, we also get an understanding of what are the gaps in terms of knowledge and skills that these young people face when they deal with these ground realities. For academics, identifying these gaps is a good reminder that they need to be more focused and careful about how we are preparing the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.

Knowledge at Wharton: Mahmoud, could you share your thoughts on how innovation and science and technology cannot only empower women, but also bring about greater gender parity around the world?

Mohieldin: The problems related to inequality, discrepancy and unfairness against women are not just in the developing countries, but in many of the advanced economies as well. One of the new initiatives that we are trying to develop and launch during the spring meetings of the World Bank and the IMF in April this year is to link the SDGs to women entrepreneurs. The program is called SDGs and Her. It is in partnership with the Zicklin Center and the Wharton Business School, and with the U.N. System, through the participation of the United Nations Development Programme, U.N. Women, a variety of economic commissions of the U.N. System and the business sector.

We are focusing on the roles of women as entrepreneurs and how through their own micro-enterprises they are investing their time, their efforts and their talents in order to bring some solutions to the poverty of their families and the poverty of their neighborhoods.

Knowledge at Wharton: Djordjija, how would this fit in with the work that you’re already doing for Ideas for Action? Where would you like to see this initiative go?

Petkoski: There is a tremendous complementarity because many proposals we receive are from young girls and women. Also, through this engagement, we would like to utilize [Ideas for Action] not just as a competition for good ideas or for recognizing women who have been successful so far, but also for utilizing the resources that Wharton and other academic institutions have — to provide a platform where they can better equip themselves to take a leadership role.

You cannot separate the fact that women are not equally paid — in parallel we have to address: Are they equally equipped? Do they have an opportunity to get access to knowledge that will make them more creative and more productive? And it’s not just about the women, it’s about their families, about encouraging their daughters to get in this space. So, from our perspective, this is something we would like to take up strongly.

Knowledge at Wharton: Over the next 12 to 24 months, how would you like Ideas for Action and the SDGs and Her initiative to progress, and what contribution would you like to see them make to the SDGs around the world?

Mohieldin: Next year will be the fifth year for Ideas for Action, so we hope for more progress in terms of both quantity and quality. We are happy with the enormous progress in quantity, and we hope to reach not just the 120 plus countries, but the whole membership of the World Bank and the U.N. System.

We are also very much impressed by the quality. We need more in terms of having ideas that can become workable and scalable solutions. Regarding SDGs and Her, while it is following in the good footsteps of the Ideas for Action, given the importance of the role of women — especially young women — and micro-enterprises in the economy, we need to see a big start for this initiative.

Petkoski : I would like to go beyond the heroic entrepreneurs, people who have changed the world, solved global problems. We would like to see more progress at the local level, initiatives which are driven at the local level, solving specific local problems, because that will be a key contribution to solving the bigger problems.

What I’m really after is more in terms of implementation, and through that implementation, shaping the ecosystem inside the country, and even below the local level, so that more ideas — not necessarily generated through Ideas for Action — have a chance to succeed.

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Youth and Anxiety

The imperatives to stand out and be all you can be are exacting a heavy toll.

Posted August 23, 2020 | Reviewed by Kaja Perina

Earlier this year, I wrote a short essay for the Institute for Family Studies on “ The Deeper Roots of Youth Anxiety .” I argued that the typical explanations of rising youth anxiety do not go deep enough. They miss the impacts of the ongoing and unprecedented restructuring of society in recent decades and the imperative it places on young people to define themselves and the shape of their life by reference to their own preferences, desires, and choices. Interviews with youth show that enacting life in terms of choice carries many risks, especially in a social context where one’s status and worth are measured by standing out from the crowd and living up to one’s distinctive (and highest) potential.

After the essay appeared, the Institute on Culture and Society at the University of Navarre in Pamplona, Spain contacted me about an interview , which appeared on their website in Spanish in July. The following are excerpts.

Q: What are the implications of living in a society where continuous success and “standing out” are the norm?

A: While suffering always feels unique to the sufferer, we can only understand it in light of the society we live in and the normative standards and ideals that make it possible. In our “liquid times,” to use the late sociologist Zygmunt Bauman’s apt phrase, much of the taken-for-granted social order—social roles, cultural institutions, formative communities, and the like—have declined. We are now each expected to author our life as if on a blank canvas, without fixed points. It falls on us to choose and decide, at younger and younger ages, who we are and seek to be.

That reflexive authoring of self would be challenging enough, but we don’t make the identity choices in a vacuum. As I found in my interviews with young people, there are very specific social norms and performance expectations that they felt a strong obligation to live up to and against which they (and others) measured themselves. One of these obligations was to optimize themselves, to constantly improve and be all that they can be. In practice, this meant a continuous demand for and need to demonstrate tangible achievements. A related obligation was the need to establish and make visible their distinctiveness; to show that their self-making project was singular and successful, a life that others would take notice of and even envy .

There are many implications of trying to live this way but let me mention just two. One, especially for young people, is that they become preoccupied with social comparisons in almost every area of their life. They used peer comparison to understand what identity options were available and how they were measuring up, and, at the same time, sought constant feedback to avoid the shame and humiliation of doing the wrong thing or appearing naïve or weird. Self-making in these terms generates a lot of uncertainty, dissatisfaction, and regret.

A second implication of trying to live these standards is the possibility of paralysis and loss of motivation . Without the guidance of institutions and traditions, how is one to decide what to be? Are all the proliferating options equally good? How does one decide and how can one know the consequences of the decision? What about failure, the possibility of disappointing people, the possibility that one might appear average and undistinguished? The specter of falling short or making the wrong choices fosters anxiety and self-blame, and, for some, leads to withdrawing or dropping out.

Q: What is the role of social networks in this process of self-making?

A: I have already mentioned the crucial role of peer comparison and feedback for accessing the identity options and gauging one’s choices. Social media platforms have come to serve an important function in facilitating, in real time, the acquiring of this information.

Another role corresponds with the demand that accomplishments be documented and publicized. Among the reasons for all the striving to optimize yourself and stand out is to not let others or yourself down—not to be a disappointment or a “loser.” Social media provide a space where people can demonstrate and confirm the success of their self-making and these forums are especially attractive for this purpose because they allow people to present a picture of themselves that’s heavily curated and airbrushed. The better to show that one is standing out. The mundane details of one’s life can be made to glow. Of course, more perniciously, one can claim a superior position by using social media to make others appear inferior. This is all too common.

Q: You wrote that nowadays we leave kids to develop themselves in an autonomous way and that this creates problems. What is the importance of structure—cultural, social, family, and so on—for the development of young people?

A: An old sociological idea, going back at least to the French sociologist Emile Durkheim, is that the more people are thrown back on themselves because of weak institutional guidance and constraint, the more vulnerable they become. If quote the philosopher Hans Blumenberg on this point: He says that our existence is a “potentially self- assertive [‘emergent’] autonomy that is constrained by anthropological limits and stabilized and humanized by institutions, which by forming a livable world limit arbitrariness and make action and reflection possible.” Put differently, in order to realize our potentialities, we need structure and rules and an orientation to our place in the world. We, as individuals, can’t give these things to ourselves.

Instead of imparting a way of life to our kids, a task requiring traditions and stable institutions and communities, we ask young people to make up a life out of themselves and then freight their choices with high expectations of success. We call them to exercise agency and even “ leadership ,” but do not give them the knowledge and experience that makes genuine achievement possible. We call them to be and demonstrate their individuality, but without grounding them in what is commonly shared or given the space to experiment or fail or live unmeasured. And on it goes. A freedom that is little more than our preferences provides no grounds on which to realize ourselves or form commitments to others. In fact, it is a recipe for the very disaster we see playing itself out in the tremendous rates of anxiety and other mental health problems.

Q: Does considering a person as an autonomous chooser affect our understanding of human dignity?

A: Of course, on the one hand, the freedom and autonomy to decide who we are and what we care about is a great good, allowing us to control and direct important aspects of our lives. Being stuck without choices in important matters is itself very stressful . And having standards by which we judge our own and others’ actions is both proper and necessary. The standards are what make social order and human excellence possible.

The trouble enters the picture, as I’ve already suggested, in a conception of freedom as a disengagement from anything unchosen. Disengagement also fosters a way of relating to ourselves as a kind of object or abstract image (such as on the model of a product “brand”). Social media platforms, as I’ve mentioned, can encourage this objectification. They can foster in young people (everyone actually) a way of looking at themselves as though they're looking at someone else, or, more accurately, at some thing that can be sculpted and molded from the outside. They can foster an instrumental view of themselves, their experience, and their “network” of relationships. This view is inconsistent with genuine human dignity.

Joseph E. Davis is Research Professor of Sociology and Director of the Picturing the Human Colloquy of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia.

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How to Help Teens Struggling With Mental Health

Answers to common questions about identifying and compassionately addressing issues of anxiety and depression in adolescents.

By Matt Richtel

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Health risks in adolescence are undergoing a major shift. Three decades ago, the biggest health threats to teenagers were binge drinking, drunken driving, teenage pregnancy, cigarettes and illicit drugs. Today, they are anxiety, depression, suicide, self-harm and other serious mental health disorders.

From 2001 to 2019, the suicide rate for American youngsters from ages 10 to 19 jumped 40 percent, and emergency room visits for self-harm rose 88 percent.

Managing a mental health crisis can be challenging for teenagers and their parents. It is often unchartered territory that needs to be navigated with the utmost sensitivity. The guidance below may help.

What are the signs of an adolescent struggling with anxiety or depression?

Anxiety and depression are different but can share some indicators. First, look for some key changes in a youth’s behavior, such as disinterest in eating or participating in social activities previously enjoyed, altered sleep patterns or withdrawal from other aspects of life. It’s tricky; these behaviors can sometimes be normal teenage angst. However, a teenager in distress may express excessive worry, hopelessness or profound sadness, particularly for long periods of time.

Whether a teenager is dealing with angst or a clinical problem “is the 64 jillion dollar question,” said Stephen Hinshaw, an expert in teenage mental health issues at the University of California, Berkeley. The question is about “persistence, interference with thriving, sheer suffering (on her or his part and yours) that can help to make this difficult differentiation.”

If the lines become too blurry to tell the difference, it can help to visit a pediatrician to explore whether there is a clinical problem.

What’s the best way to start a discussion with an adolescent who may be struggling?

The counsel from experts is resounding: Be clear and direct and don’t shy from hard questions, but also approach these issues with compassion and not blame. Challenging as it may seem to talk about these issues, young people often are desperate to be heard. At the same time, talking to a parent can feel hard.

“Be gentle, be curious, and, over time, be persistent but not insistent,” Dr. Hinshaw explained. “Shame and stigma are a huge part of the equation here, and if you are outraged and judgmental, be prepared for a shutdown.”

“A good number” of teenagers “are practically begging you — without telling you so directly — to stay concerned and loving and to keep open a dialogue,” Dr. Hinshaw said.

For teenagers having trouble opening up, try working together on a shared hobby or activity without bringing up their mental health. Put them at ease, and eventually they may be more willing to share.

These issues are “typically very hard for a teen to talk about with their parent or guardian,” said Nicole Nadell, an assistant professor in pediatrics and psychiatry at Mount Sinai. “Be a patient and active listener at first, reflect back to the teen what they are saying, thinking and feeling.”

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What can I do if I’m feeling suicidal?

If you are having thoughts of suicide or are concerned that someone you know may be having those thoughts, in the United States call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or call 911, go to the emergency room, get help from an adult, or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources. Go here for resources outside the United States.

It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to seek help.

Research shows that the suicidal impulse will pass if it can be put off. Then the underlying problems can be addressed. Researchers call suicide “a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” It takes help to get through this period of excruciating pain that leads to suicidal ideation. Get that help.

I am concerned that a loved one is cutting or self-harming. What can I do?

Self-harm can include cutting, hitting oneself, burning or other forms of mutilation. These behaviors may appear to induce pain, but they are actually intended to redirect or make emotional pain go away, experts said.

Nonsuicidal self-injury is “predominately used to re-regulate,” said Emily Pluhar, a child and adolescent psychologist at Harvard Medical School. The behavior, she explained, can actually release a pain analgesic, a natural painkiller that may provide a feeling of relief. “It helps people re-regulate and feel calmer.”

The trouble is that such behavior ultimately doesn’t work to eliminate the underlying problem and then can intensify.

Cutting often happens on the wrists, ankles or thighs. “Self-harm is often hidden from parents and peers by long sleeves and secrecy. If you see evidence, try to engage in discussion — even though your teen is likely to try to minimize or hide it, out of shame,” Dr. Hinshaw said.

If you see wounds that appear to put a teenager at imminent risk, call 911 or go straight to the emergency room.

When cutting is discovered, it is vital that a parent or caregiver reacts with concern and compassionate curiosity, not alarm (unless danger is imminent). “First, be curious rather than alarmist. The best way to get your teen never to talk with you about any key problem is to be outraged or moral or judgmental,” Dr. Hinshaw said.

Some recommended tactics for starting and stoking conversation about mental health issues in general include making sure you are genuine and authentic — admit if the subject makes you nervous — and creating silence and space for a youth to express. And try a “change of settings,” some experts recommend , like a car ride or an activity, that can make conversation feel natural with less eye contact.

Then: “Validate, validate, validate,” says Dr. Pluhar, from Harvard. “You don’t have to agree with their perspective but you have to validate that their perspective matters and that you understand it.”

The ultimate goal is to help an adolescent find the root cause of the emotional pain leading to self-harm. Once your child is ready, a pediatrician or another health expert can help you find an appropriate counseling path. Evidence supports various forms of cognitive behavioral therapy, including dialectical behavioral therapy to help teach coping skills. These skills help people recognize their thinking patterns and reframe issues in healthier ways.

It is important to understand that self-harm is not the same as a suicidal ideation, which is a much broader overriding of the biological instinct to survive. That said, self-harm that goes on for a long time and that becomes more severe can be a predictor of suicidal behavior.

Are there alternatives to self-harm that can help my child manage emotions?

It may be worthwhile to suggest healthy alternatives to self-harm that your child could try. Research shows that the urge can be put off by removing from the home the object or tool used to harm, and by using simple methods like exercise. Dr. Nadell from Mount Sinai suggests a few:

Engage in intense exercise for 20 minutes

Use meditative breathing and muscle relaxation

Call a friend

Go for a walk

Keep a journal

Use ice or cold water on the body to change body temperature

How do I find the right doctor for my child? And how can I be sure my teenager has received the correct diagnosis?

Dr. Hinshaw recommends several concrete steps:

“Ask other parents, or engage in self-help/advocacy groups, to get a sense of the clinicians in your area with reputations for careful, state-of-the-art assessments/evaluations versus those who are too quick on the draw.”

“Ask the prospective assessor: How many evaluations have you performed for ADHD or anxiety or depression? How many hours does such an evaluation often take? How many, would you estimate, of those evaluations that you perform end up confirming versus disconfirming a diagnosis?”

Ask if the provider uses evidence-based rating scales filled out by parents and teachers that provide objective measures of how a young person is doing socially and academically. These measurement tools are important, experts say, because parents often can receive a skewed picture of how a young person is acting — for example, the child may appear moody and contentious at home or complain about how difficult school is, while actually performing well in classes, having friends and adapting well.

Ask: “Do you contact the school for additional information? For any condition, do you get a developmental history from the parents, from infancy onwards, about milestones, deficits, strengths and contexts that seem to accentuate versus help with the problems at hand? Do you get a family history of similar conditions?”

I’m concerned about medication for my teenager. What’s the best way to be sure that an adolescent is getting the right medication, in the right amount?

Psychiatric medications can be powerful and effective. But they can have side effects, risky interactions with drugs and withdrawal challenges. So parents should approach the issue of medication with the same clear, thoughtful inquiry that they would when seeking a therapist, pediatrician or other provider to help with mental health issues in general.

“Again,” Dr. Hinshaw said, “ask around for doctors/psychiatrists with excellent reputations along these lines. And work with a doctor/psychiatrist who strives for the lowest possible dose of the right medication for your teen’s issues.”

Ideally, said Dr. Nadell from Mount Sinai, the prescriber will be specialized as a child and adolescent psychiatrist. The challenge in many parts of the country is that specialists are unavailable or only take cash or private insurance. That means, experts said, parents should press pediatricians or primary care doctors on their experience and make sure they explain the side effects and interactions with other drugs, as well as how to tell if the medication is working and how hard it is to wean off the medication.

Remember, often the best first line of treatment for mental health issues is cognitive behavioral therapy or other nonmedical techniques. These strategies give an adolescent tools for coping with anxiety, stress and other challenges. Research shows that when medications are needed, they can be most effective when used together with such therapies.

What else can you do to help with mental health?

Experts say there are essential habits to promote mental and physical health. Sleep is huge. Young people, with developing brains, need eight to 10 hours of sleep. Lack of sleep can interfere with development, and can dramatically impact mood and the ability to learn. Physical activity is also vital to mental and physical well-being.

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10 Social Issues and Problems That Trouble Today's Teens

Technology can amplify the struggles teens face

Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin 

Sexual Activity

Alcohol use, academic problems, peer pressure, social media, on-screen violence, how to talk to your teen.

Social issues are problems that affect large groups of people and can affect how well a society functions. Teens can face social problems just like adults can. They may even be more susceptible to these challenges because their brains are still developing and their bodies are changing quickly. Social issues and what we might think of as "teenage problems" can affect emotional and physical health.

Advances in technology also mean that today's teens are facing new and different social issues. Electronic media has changed or amplified some teenage troubles: Digital communication has changed the way teens interact with their peers and romantic interests, for example.

Digital life also means that many teens lack essential interpersonal communication skills like knowing how to pick up on social cues. Much of this dysfunction can be linked to the use of technology (but on the flip side, virtual socializing and learning were essential during the COVID-19 pandemic).

Teens' social media and texting habits are changing the way they communicate, date, learn, sleep, exercise, and more. The average teen spends over eight hours each day using electronic devices.

While not all social issues are linked to technology, many have complicated relationships with tech and media use. These are the top 10 social issues teens struggle with every day.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 4.1 million adolescents in the United States had at least one major depressive episode in 2020. That means 17% of American teenagers may experience depression before reaching adulthood . Data from NIMH also shows that depression is much more prevalent in female teens (25.2%) than male teens (9.2%) and among teens who reported two or more races (29.9%).

Spending too much time on electronic devices may be preventing young people from in-person activities with their peers, such as sports, which can help ward off depression.  They also experience new conditions like "fear of missing out" or FOMO , which further leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Depressive disorders are treatable, but it's important to seek professional help. If your teen seems withdrawn, experiences a change in sleep patterns, or starts to perform badly in school, schedule an appointment with your teen's physician or contact a mental health professional. Do not delay getting help for your teen if you notice these symptoms.

About 22% of teens in the U.S. experienced bullying in 2019, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Research suggests that social media has made bullying much more public and more pervasive. Cyberbullying has replaced bullying as the most common type of harassment that teens experience.

To help guard against these kinds of teenage troubles, talk to your teen about bullying regularly. Discuss what they can do when they witness bullying and talk about options if they become a target themselves. Being proactive is key to helping your child deal with a bully.

It's also important to talk to your child about when and how to get help from an adult. Talking about how someone has humiliated them is never an easy topic. But asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it's a show of courage.

In the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) survey, 38% of high school students reported that they had ever had sex; 27.4% said they were currently sexually active. That represents a decline over the past decade (46% had ever had sex in 2009; 34% were currently sexually active).

The teen birth rate has declined over the past decade as well. In 2020, the teen birth rate was 15.4 (births for every 1,000 females ages 15-19), a decline of 8% from 2019 and 75% from the 1991 peak of 61.8. These teen births accounted for less than 5% of total births.

The decline in pregnancy doesn't necessarily mean teens are using contraceptives, however. Just over half of sexually active teens reported using a condom in their last sexual encounter, according to YRBSS data, while about 31% used hormonal birth control and 9% used both.

Of the 26 million new sexually transmitted infections in 2018, more than half were among young people between the ages of 15 and 24.

Parents may not be aware that their children are sexually active. Talk to your teen about sex and the importance of safe sex practices, even if you don't think your child is engaging in sexual activity.

In 2021, about 3% of teens surveyed (in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades) reported using marijuana daily. Marijuana use exceeds cigarette use in teens now, and is at its . In fact, many teens believe marijuana is less harmful now than in years past. This new perception may be due to the changing laws surrounding marijuana.

Teen use of other substances is declining, according to the Monitoring the Future Survey published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. While this decline has been noted since the survey began in 1975, decreases in 2021 were "steep and atypical."

Still, it's important to have regular conversations with your teen about the dangers of drugs. And don't forget to mention the dangers of prescription drugs, too. Many teens do not recognize the dangers of taking a friend's prescription or popping a few pills that are not prescribed to them.

Teens often underestimate how easy it is to develop an addiction. And they don't understand the risks associated with overdosing. Be sure you are talking about these risks on a consistent basis.

As of 2021, alcohol use and binge drinking continued to show a significant decline among teenagers. Still, 26% of high school seniors surveyed still report drinking alcohol within the past month.

Talk to teens about the risks of underage drinking. Educate them about the dangers, including the fact that alcohol can take a serious toll on a teenager's developing brain.  Also, do not shy away from expressing your disapproval of underage drinking. Saying you don't approve can make a big difference in whether your teen decides to drink.

About 22% of 12- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. are obese, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. Hispanic and Black children are more likely to be overweight or obese than White or Asian children.  

Overweight children and teens are often targeted by bullies. Obese kids also are at a much greater risk of lifelong health problems, such as diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and heart disease. They also may struggle with body image issues or develop eating disorders as an unhealthy way of changing their appearance.

Parents are not always aware of these issues. Surveys show parents are bad at recognizing when their kids are overweight. They tend to underestimate their child's size and the risks associated with being overweight.

Talk to your child's pediatrician about the weight and body mass appropriate for your teen's height and age and inquire about the steps you can take to ensure your teen is healthy. Then, if your doctor does recommend a healthier eating plan or exercise, find ways to support and empower your teen.

About 5% of high school students drop out of high school each year in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. A high school dropout is likely to earn $200,000 less over his lifetime when compared to a high school graduate, which can have a significant impact on a young person's future.

But it's no longer just "troubled teens" who are dropping out of school. Some teens feel so much pressure to get into a good college that they burning themselves out before they graduate from high school. Stay involved in your teen's education. Provide support and guidance and be ready to assist your teen if they encounter problems.

While peer pressure has affected teens for generations, social media brings it to a whole new level.  Sexting , for example, is a major cause for concern; many teens do not understand the lifelong consequences that sharing explicit photos can have on their lives. 

But sharing inappropriate photos is not the only thing kids are being pressured into doing. Teens face pressure to have sex, use drugs or alcohol, and even bully others. To keep your kids from falling victim to peer pressure, give them skills to make healthy choices, and to resist peer pressure .

Also, talk to teens about what to do if they make a mistake. Sometimes, kids may be afraid to seek help when they make poor choices. It's important that your teen feels safe coming to you when they have a problem. Demonstrate that you can listen without judging or overreacting and instead find healthy ways for them to make amends and move on.

Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter can be great ways for teens to connect with one another, but social media can be problematic for several reasons. Social media can expose your teen to cyberbullying , slut-shaming , and so much more. And, while there are some benefits to social media , there are a lot of risks as well.

Social media can have a negative impact on friendships and is changing the way teens date . It can even impact their mental health. And no matter what precautions you take, teens are likely to be exposed to unsavory people, unhealthy images, and sexual content online.

Help your teen learn how to navigate social media in a healthy way. Talk about ways to stay safe online. And most importantly, know what your teen is doing online. Educate yourself about the latest apps, websites, and social media pages teens are using and take steps to keep your teen safe. You may also want to take steps to limit your teen's screen time .

Teenagers are going to witness some violent media at one time or another. And it's not just TV, music, and movies that depict violence. Many of today's  violent video games  portray gory scenes and disturbing acts of aggression . Over the past couple of decades, studies have linked these violent images to a lack of empathy and even aggressive behavior.

Other studies have shown the number one factor in determining how kids relate to media is how their parents think and act. That means the more violence parents watch, the more likely they are to think it's OK for their kids to view.  

Pay attention to your teen's media use. Don't allow teens to watch R-rated movies or to play M-rated video games. It's not healthy for them to consume that material in excess and unsupervised. 

Also, talk to your teen about the dangers of being exposed to violent images and monitor your teen's mental state. It's also important to talk about sexual situations and racial stereotypes that your teen might see.

Teens need to learn how to identify what is good and what is bad about the media. It helps them become a healthier consumer when they can think objectively about what they are seeing online, in the movie theater, or in a video game.

Bringing up any difficult subjects with your teen can feel uncomfortable. And your teen isn't likely to respond well to a lengthy lecture or too many direct questions. But having a conversation with your teen about social issues and other teenage troubles is not something you should shy away from.

Even when it seems like they are not listening, you are the most influential person in your teen's life. It is important to lay a strong foundation before the window of opportunity closes.

A good way to strike up a conversation about drugs, sex, vaping , or other uncomfortable situations is to ask a question like, "Do you think this is a big issue at your school?"

Listen to what your teen has to say. Try not to be judgmental, but make your expectations and opinions clear. It is important that your teen understands that you don't condone certain behaviors and that they know the consequences of breaking your rules . 

Nesi J, Widman L, Choukas-Bradley S, Prinstein MJ. Technology-based communication and the development of interpersonal competencies within adolescent romantic relationships: A preliminary investigation . J Res Adolesc . 2017;27(2):471-477. doi:10.1111/jora.12274

Spies Shapiro LA, Margolin G. Growing up wired: Social networking sites and adolescent psychosocial development . Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev . 2014;17(1):1-18. doi:10.1007/s10567-013-0135-1

Common Sense Media. The Common Sense Census: Media use by tweens and teens, 2021 .

National Institute of Mental Health. Major depression .

Belvederi Murri M, Ekkekakis P, Magagnoli M, et al. Physical exercise in major depression: Reducing the mortality gap while improving clinical outcomes . Front Psychiatry . 2018;9:762. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00762

National Center for Education Statistics. Indicator 10: Bullying at school and electronic bullying .

Selkie EM, Fales JL, Moreno MA. Cyberbullying prevalence among US middle and high school-aged adolescents: A systematic review and quality assessment . J Adolesc Health . 2016;58(2):125-133. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.09.026

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report 2009–2019 .

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs. Trends in teen pregnancy and childbearing .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted diseases: Adolescents and young adults .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Monitoring the Future 2021 Overview: Key findings on adolescent drug use .

Squeglia LM, Jacobus J, Tapert SF. The effect of alcohol use on human adolescent brain structures and systems . Handb Clin Neurol . 2014;125:501-510. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-62619-6.00028-8

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence of Childhood Obesity in the United States .

Abdelaal M, Le Roux CW, Docherty NG. Morbidity and mortality associated with obesity . Ann Transl Med . 2017;5(7):161. doi:10.21037/atm.2017.03.107

Jones M, Huffer C, Adams T, Jones L, Church B. BMI Health Report Cards: Parents' perceptions and reactions . Health Promot Pract . 2018;19(6):896-904. doi:10.1177/1524839917749489

National Center for Education Statistics. Status Dropout rates .

Bask M, Salmela-Aro K. Burned out to drop out: Exploring the relationship between school burnout and school dropout . Eur J Psychol Educ . 2012;28. doi:10.1007/s10212-012-0126-5 

Gassó AM, Klettke B, Agustina JR, Montiel I. Sexting, mental health, and victimization among adolescents: A literature review . Int J Environ Res Public Health . 2019;16(13):2364. doi:10.3390/ijerph16132364

Garett R, Lord LR, Young SD. Associations between social media and cyberbullying: a review of the literature . Mhealth . 2016;2:46. doi:10.21037/mhealth.2016.12.01

Abi-Jaoude E, Naylor KT, Pignatiello A. Smartphones, social media use and youth mental health . CMAJ . 2020;192(6):E136-E141. doi:10.1503/cmaj.190434

Mrug S, Madan A, Windle M. Emotional desensitization to violence contributes to adolescents' violent behavior . J Abnorm Child Psychol . 2016;44(1):75-86. doi:10.1007/s10802-015-9986-x

Anderson CA, Bushman BJ, Bartholow BD, et al. Screen violence and youth behavior . Pediatrics . 2017;140(Suppl 2):S142-S147. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1758T

Knorr C. Tips on how to deal with media violence . Common Sense Media.

By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, an international bestselling author of books on mental strength and host of The Verywell Mind Podcast. She delivered one of the most popular TEDx talks of all time.

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How parents and teens can reduce the impact of social media on youth  well-being

Educational Psychologist and Lecturer, Monash University

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Christine Grove is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS).

Monash University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU.

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Knowing how to navigate the online social networking world is crucial for parents and teens. Being educated and talking about online experiences can help reduce any negative impacts on youth mental health and well-being.

The Australian Psychology Society ( APS ) recently released a national survey looking at the impact of technology and social media on the well-being of Australians.

Around 1,000 adults over the age of 18 and 150 young people aged 14-17 years took part. The survey found more than three in four young people (78.8%) and more than half of all adults (54%) were highly involved with their mobile phones. Young people are reportedly using social media for an average of 3.3 hours each day, on five or more days of the week.

The vast majority of adults and teenagers reported their screens and social media accounts were a positive part of their lives. Many use social media channels to connect with family, friends and to entertain themselves.

Too much social media use can effect self-esteem

Despite social media playing a positive role for most, the survey found the high use of social media and technology can have a negative impact on youth self-esteem. Two in three young people feel pressure to look good and nearly a third of youth have been bullied online. Nearly half (42%) of frequent users look at social media in bed before sleeping.

The survey also found 15% of teenagers reported being approached by strangers on a daily basis through their online world.

Around 60% of parents never monitor their teen’s social media account and are wrestling their own issues about how much is too much screen time. Most are unsure of how to provide good guidance of appropriate social media use with their teens.

Engage with your teen’s online world

Parents and teens need to be informed about engaging with the online world. Parents can ask their teen to show them how they use social media and what it is. Try to navigate the social world together, rather than acting as a supervisor. Ask your teen to help you understand how they use the internet so you can make good decisions about social media use together.

Read more: The way your children watch YouTube is not that surprising – but it is a concern. Here are some tips

Here are a few tips to connect with your teen’s online world:

Together with your teen visit their social media channels. Take a look at what your teen is posting online. Check out their favourites and which YouTube channels they are subscribed to. Favourites and subscriptions can give you clues about what they’re watching on the site

Ask your teen to create playlists of their favourite videos, while you create your own. Then, sit and watch them together. You can see what they’re watching, and it gives them an opportunity to share what they enjoy online with you

Make using the internet together a game. For example, you can guess what kinds of videos are popular in a particular place and use the “advanced search” function to see videos only in that location.

Difficult conversations about social media

An important step in navigating the risks of social networking is to have ongoing conversations about social media use with your teens. If you’re already engaged in your teen’s online world, it will be easier to have difficult conversations about some of the risks and ways to manage them.

Many people believe internet browsing is anonymous. Educate your teen about their digital reputation . Whenever your teen visits a website, shares content, posts something on a blog or uploads information, they’re adding to their digital footprint .

This information can be gathered under their real name and possibly accessed by future employers or marketing departments. This can happen without you or your teen knowing. Protecting your personal information and knowing it’s not truly anonymous are important conversations to have together.

Cyberbullying can occur if online users try to intimidate, exclude or humiliate others online through abusive texts or emails, hurtful messages, images or videos, or online gossip and chat. Let your teen know to try not to retaliate or respond, and to speak to a trusted adult right away. Aim to block the bully and report the behaviour to the social media platform.

Read more: Blocking kids from social media won't solve the problem of cyberbullying

Create a family media plan to help manage social media use with options to create different guidelines for each teen. In the plan, promote healthy technology use habits with your teen. This includes not using technology too close to bed time.

Research shows using technology at night can have a negative impact on sleep quality . Try to not to use technology for around 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime. Consider using devices in the living spaces in the house rather than in the bedroom when it’s time to go to sleep.

Here’s some more information on how to talk to your teens about their internet use, and thriving in an online age .

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How to Help Teens With the Negative Impacts of Social Media

Social media plays a significant role in everyday life for most teenagers. It helps them to stay connected to friends, find community with others and feel a sense of belonging. But how much is too much, and is it more harmful than beneficial?

According to Facebook’s own internal research—which was revealed by a former product manager in October 2021—social media can make young people feel better about themselves, but it can also have a detrimental effect on their mental health.

Teens who participated in surveys pointed to Instagram as increasing their anxiety and depression, and those who struggle with mental health said the platform made it worse. The leaked documents also highlighted how social media can exacerbate bullying, body image issues and other social pressures.

“The reality is that social media is part of the world we live in, and it’s not going away,” says Mari Radzik, PhD, a clinical psychologist in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “We can’t just take away our kids’ phones or computers. It’s about figuring out how we can guide them on using and navigating these tools.”

Whether you’re a parent of a teen, pre-teen or even a toddler, good habits start early. Here are five tips to help children combat the negative impacts of social media.

1. Recognize any changes in behavior and offer to talk.

Has your child’s mood fluctuated? Are they eating differently? Sleeping more or less than usual? Are they isolating in their room? These are some signs parents should be aware of and be prepared to talk about. Dr. Radzik says parents can open a dialogue about their child’s social media use. She stresses the importance of using “I” rather than “you” statements.

Instead of, “You’re on Instagram way too much and that’s bad for you,” try, “I noticed this and I’m really worried. Can we talk about it?” If they’re not willing to talk at that moment, let them know you’ll be there when they feel ready.

2. Keep the communication open.

It’s normal for teens to deny or deflect when confronted about a problem. The key is to express your concerns, ask if they want to talk, offer to help and then leave it at that.

“Berating will make a young person shut down,” says Dr. Radzik. “Or sometimes parents will dig through their child’s social media accounts and that can feel invasive. The approach has to come from a place of caring and concern, rather than something punitive or accusatory.”

If it’s clear that social media is affecting a child’s mental well-being, parents could recommend taking a break to see how their child feels without it, or suggest deleting the account altogether. “There are some kids who can break the cycle, and sometimes it takes the parent to help with that,” says Dr. Radzik.

3. Set rules and boundaries early on.

Just like you wouldn’t give a car to your child without teaching them the rules of the road, Dr. Radzik advises parents to provide parameters before a teen begins to use social media. Think about how often and where they should be using their phones or computers: Is the dining table off limits? What about in their rooms with the door closed?

This can be tricky for parents, especially since teens need computers for school, acknowledges Sarah Voyer, LCSW, Lead Social Worker in the Division of Psychiatry . “A lot of times these are kids who are well behaved and high functioning, so their parents trust them with so much,” she says. “But putting in some kind of structure, where you limit the time when they have access, is important because of how harmful social media can be.”

4. Model the right behavior.

“As parents, ultimately, you only have control over yourself,” says Voyer. “So being conscientious of your own behaviors, whether that’s with phone usage or diet and health, is a big part of parenting. If you do something hypocritical, they’re going to see that.”

And the modeling starts young, even before children have their own phone.

“It can be problematic when children are given regular access to cell phones at an early age,” says Dr. Radzik. “I understand the need to use it at times, especially age-appropriate material. But as parents we need to encourage a curiosity of the world around them and use creativity tools rather than rely on social media all the time.”

5. Check in regularly.

Talking to children and teens about social media isn’t a one-time conversation. The key, Voyer says, is checking in frequently and being attentive and aware of your kids’ media use. Parents may want to ask their children how they use social media—is it to share updates with their friends, do they follow certain celebrities or influencers, are they seeking some kind of advice or help—and how they feel when they use it.

“Active, attentive parenting is crucial,” says Dr. Radzik. “I know it can be exhausting, but it’s our jobs as parents to be mindful of what our kids are doing and how we can help them feel confident, self-aware and resilient.”

Click here to read more about digital stress and how it affects teens.

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