What do we know about the impact of digital media and peer dynamics on adolescent mental health, and how can this inform everyday practice?
Drawing on research from Professor Mitch Prinstein, this session will explore how social media use relates to young people’s psychological, social, and neural development. It will examine topics such as peer influence, mood, digital stress, and social opportunities, using insights from longitudinal research, experience sampling, and neuroimaging studies. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of key scientific questions and findings, and how these may inform actions to support young people and reduce potential risks.
Booking
Sign up at this link or on the Book Now button at the top of the screen, and complete the form that follows. You’ll then receive an email confirmation and a link to the webinar, plus we’ll send you a calendar reminder nearer the time. Delegates will have exclusive access to recordings for 90 days after the event, together with slides. Plus you will get a personalised CPD/CME certificate via email.
- ACAMH Members MUST login to book onto the webinar in order to access this webinar and get a CPD/CME certificate
- Non-members this is a great time to join ACAMH, take a look at what we have to offer, and make the saving on these sessions
EARLY BIRD £39 (until 09/11/26 then £59) for ACAMH Members (Print, Online, Concession) Join now and save
EARLY BIRD £59 (until 09/11/26 then £79) ACAMH Learn Account holders
EARLY BIRD £59 (until 09/11/26 then £79) Non Members
£5 ACAMH Undergraduate/Postgraduate Members
FREE LMIC Members
Don’t forget as a charity any surplus made is reinvested back as we work to our vision of ‘Sharing best evidence, improving practice’, and our mission to ‘Improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 0-25’.
About the session
In this talk, we deconstruct the psychological science on youths’ technology and social media use so you can understand all of the questions scientists are asking, what we have found, what it means for youth today, and what you can do help. Using theories and methods from developmental cognitive neuroscience and developmental psychopathology, our work seeks to understand how adolescents’ social media use may confer benefits to psychological, social, and neural development. We use longitudinal methods, experience sampling, and fMRI scans to examine questions regarding topics such as social media addition, associations with mood, digital stress, the effects of social media on lost social opportunities, peer influence processes via social media, and the manner in which social media use may be associated with brain development in adolescence. The results are sometimes frightening, but there is some hope, especially if parents, educators, and policy-makers take action now.
Learning outcomes
- Participants will be able to articulate the potential effects of digital media use on neural development
- Participants will be able to list up to 10 different ways that technology use may influence psychological adaptation
- Participants will learn concrete strategies to enhance development with social media, and protect children from its risks
Who should attend
The primary audience for this session would be professionals working with adolescents across mental health, education, and community settings, including; clinical psychologists, child and adolescent psychiatrists, CAMHS clinicians, counsellors, psychotherapists, educational psychologists, teachers, SENCOs, pastoral staff, youth workers, and early help and family support practitioners. It may also be of interest to researchers and other professionals with an interest in adolescent development and mental health.
About the speaker
Professor Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., ABPP is the John Van Seters Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Co-Director of the Winston Center for Technology and Brain Development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mitch also is the Senior Science Advisor of the American Psychological Association.
Mitch has advised/consulted with the numerous government agencies (e.g., White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Centers for Disease Control, Federal Trade Commission, US Surgeon General’s Office, US Supreme Court), international agencies (e.g., Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Economic Forum, World Health Organization), nonprofits (e.g., Common Sense Media, The National PTA), institutes (e.g., National Institute of Mental Health, National Academies of Science), as well as for-profit industries (e.g., Google, Apple, Johnson & Johnson), and the entertainment industry (e.g., David E. Kelley Productions, Impact Guild).
Booking
Sign up at this link or on the Book Now button at the top of the screen, and complete the form that follows. You’ll then receive an email confirmation and a link to the webinar, plus we’ll send you a calendar reminder nearer the time. Delegates will have exclusive access to recordings for 90 days after the event, together with slides. Plus you will get a personalised CPD/CME certificate via email.
- ACAMH Members MUST login to book onto the webinar in order to access this webinar and get a CPD/CME certificate
- Non-members this is a great time to join ACAMH, take a look at what we have to offer, and make the saving on these sessions
EARLY BIRD £39 (until 09/11/26 then £59) for ACAMH Members (Print, Online, Concession) Join now and save
EARLY BIRD £59 (until 09/11/26 then £79) ACAMH Learn Account holders
EARLY BIRD £59 (until 09/11/26 then £79) Non Members
£5 ACAMH Undergraduate/Postgraduate Members
FREE LMIC Members
Don’t forget as a charity any surplus made is reinvested back as we work to our vision of ‘Sharing best evidence, improving practice’, and our mission to ‘Improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people aged 0-25’.