SSDW’s Panel Discussion of The Anxious Generation

Three Scituate high school students joined a teacher and mental health specialist for a panel discussion of Jonathan Haidt’s bestselling book The Anxious Generation about the collapse of youth mental health and the rise of phone-based childhood.

Expertly moderated by nationally-recognized family counselor Lynne Reeves Griffin, the panelists offered a mixed picture of the benefits and pitfalls they’ve experienced or observed with adolescent cell phone and social media use.

Prompted to consider how phones both cause and distract from social and emotional stressors in a way that disrupts kids’ typical development of self-regulation skills, the panelists offered audience members suggestions for setting healthy limits, co-navigating boundaries, and exploring face-to-face alternatives in community.

We thank everyone who came out for this wonderful discussion!