Adolescent Mental Health in the Social Media Era
A 2-CE clinical course for licensed counselors working with adolescents and their families. Examines what adolescent neurodevelopment and identity formation look like inside the attention economy, sorts the evidence on social media and youth mental health (including the Orben and Przybylski versus Twenge and Haidt debate and the 2023 U.S. Surgeon General and APA advisories), and then moves to practice: taking a digital-media history, screening, suicide-risk and safe-messaging considerations, cyberbullying response, collaborative family media planning, confidentiality with minors, school collaboration, and CBT and DBT-A adaptations for digital-wellbeing work.
2
CE Hours
4
Modules
18
Quiz Questions
3
Est. Minutes
What you'll learn
- Explain how adolescent reward sensitivity, social-cognitive development, and identity formation interact with the design features of social media platforms.
- Summarize the current state of the evidence on social media and adolescent mental health, including the magnitude of effects reported by Orben and Przybylski (2019), the Twenge and Haidt position, and the 2023 U.S. Surgeon General and APA advisories.
- Classify digital risk exposures using a four-category model (displacement, content, contact, conduct) and identify protective and identity-affirming uses of online spaces.
- Conduct a structured digital-media history and integrate adolescent-appropriate screening for depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and suicide risk.
- Apply suicide-safe messaging, self-harm content exposure protocols, and cyberbullying response planning in adolescent treatment.
- Design a collaborative family media plan that favors co-regulation over surveillance while respecting minor confidentiality and consent requirements.
Who it's for
Licensed mental health professionals (LPCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, NCCs, psychiatric NPs).
Approval & credit
CounselorReady is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP #7760). This course awards 2 NBCC-approved CE hours; a certificate is issued on completion. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CounselorReady is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.