Megan Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH, professor, division chief (academic), vice chair of academic affairs, Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, sat down with Shezad Baloch, host of the Team-Based Care podcast, to discuss social media and teen mental health.
Moreno and fellow guest speaker Officer Adam Nagel, a lieutenant and the school resource officer coordinator with the Appleton Police Department, discussed the nuances of social media and teen mental health. While this pair had varying views on the topic, they both agreed that collaboration from diverse stakeholders, such as pediatricians and police officers, is needed for the sake of teens. Demonizing social media can squash important conversations that need to take place between teens and the people who care about their well-being.
While social media and teen mental health has been a very hot topic, the current research is unable to determine directionality of the relationship of social media use and mental health. Moreno cited the that suggested a different approach to research is needed, such as longitudinal studies and better measurements outside of screen time.
“We are on the edge of a new era, but we aren’t there yet,” Moreno said about the current state of the research.
“Social Media and Teen Mental Health” is the sixth episode in Team-Based Care, a podcast for the interprofessional health care team. The series is produced by the UW SMPH Office of Continuing Professional Development and provides continuing education credit to health care professionals. Visit the podcast’s page on the UW–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership website to learn how to earn credit.