Navigating the Digital Age- The Impact of Social Media on Teen Behavior and Well-Being

Navigating the Digital Age- The Impact of Social Media on Teen Behavior and Well-Being

Adolescence is a phase in human growth and development that is characterized by rapid changes in physical, cognitive, and psychological functionalities. The age range for a human adolescent is between the ages of 10 and 19. Whereas physiological development points towards optimal health and functionalities among adolescents, considerable morbidity and mortality have been evident among individuals in this phase of life. The morbidity and mortality seen among adolescents are majorly preventable and are attributable to behavioral pattern changes that increase their susceptibility to preventable causes of morbidity and mortality (Loke et al., 2016). Such behaviors as drug use, sexual activity, and physical inactivity have seen an exponential rise among adolescents and are majorly influenced by peer pressure among these individuals. This paper seeks to discuss the effects of peer pressure on adolescents.

Peer pressure remains a concerning issue in various social cycles. This issue is considerably concerning among adolescents and younger adults. Peer pressure refers to the act of getting involved in an activity or adopting a way of life in order to be accepted or valued by members of your cycle or friends. Whereas positive peer pressure has been evident and has been implicated in part in an individual’s motivation to task and better living, negative peer pressure remains of great concern amongst some people. Positive peer pressure has informed the adoption of various healthy behaviors or practices among individuals. Activities such as learning a new skill and practicing healthy living, as informed by friends or other individuals within a specific social cycle, are examples of positive peer pressure. 

Negative peer pressure has been implicated in the initiation of various antisocial and antimoral behaviors. Negative peer pressure has resulted in abuse of drugs, increased sexually related activities, indulgence in risky behaviors, and breaking of rules, among others. Teenagers are the most incriminated in these peer pressure-attributable activities. This is due to their higher curiosity that is relatable to the psychosocial and cognitive transitions that they experience at these ages (Blöte et al., 2016). The impact of these actions is often worse, with incidences of morbidity and preventable mortality being apparent. 

Various external stressors are linkable to peer pressure. These stressors include the desire to belong to a certain social class, the fear of being left out or of being rejected by persons perceived as friends, the desire to experiment with new things in life, improper or inadequate parental guidance, and exposure to behaviors considered as socially immoral among others (Bae, 2017). The desire to belong to various social classes is specifically common among adolescents and younger adults. This desire is usually informed by several factors ranging from social media to the immediate social groups of an individual. Social media, in particular, has been found to significantly shape the lives and behaviors of individuals. Various social media platforms have been utilized by individuals to flaunt their social lives. This, in some instances, places considerable pressure on some individuals who may want to emulate what they see on these platforms. The effect, in some cases, is often bad and may affect the individual life and well-being.

Peer pressure and the related external stressors to peer pressure can be a common finding upon assessment of adolescent patients presenting with various mental disorders. Comprehensive screening is therefore necessary in this regard and forms an essential component in designing their treatment plans. Various assessment strategies are utilizable in the screening of peer pressure as well as the external stressors related to peer pressure. Strategies that interrogate the patient’s gender, age, range of activity, and individual needs are crucial (Knight et al., 2014). The global Appraisal Of Individual Needs tool, as well as the Teen Addiction Severity Index and Comprehensive Adolescent Severity Inventory tools, are important in elucidating information that may aid in their treatment. 

Information on individual social cycles, their history of drug use, their tendency to break the rules, and opinions on emerging contemporary issues such as gender-based violence can additionally be used during the assessment. This information gives a general overview of the individual as well as their propensity to adopt negative behaviors upon being influenced by their peers. Interrogation of some of these components may sometimes present ethical difficulties as they may infringe on the patient’s privacy. Ethical consideration of confidentiality is therefore required in this regard. The patient