Any adolescent would be able to tell you that a hashtag is used on social media to group information together by topic, theme, or content. Search #Prom2018 and you will certainly find a plethora of prom photos posted on Instagram. Sometimes it also provides an opportunity for teens to cleverly caption a photo and obtain more likes or followers, #squadgoals. Nevertheless, the purpose here is simple. Just as we strive to be culturally competent across racial and ethnic groups, we should also strive to learn just as much about adolescent online culture, especially if adolescents are the primary population of clients we are working with. As you’ll see in the next section, the more you know, the better questions you can ask!
Any adolescent would be able to tell you that a hashtag is used on social media to group information together by topic, theme, or content. Search #Prom2018 and you will certainly find a plethora of prom photos posted on Instagram. Sometimes it also provides an opportunity for teens to cleverly caption a photo and obtain more likes or followers, #squadgoals. Nevertheless, the purpose here is simple. Just as we strive to be culturally competent across racial and ethnic groups, we should also strive to learn just as much about adolescent online culture, especially if adolescents are the primary population of clients we are working with. As you’ll see in the next section, the more you know, the better questions you can ask!
Assesing for an addiction to Social Media
Assesing for an addiction to Social Media
"What do you enjoy doing on the computer?"
"What do you enjoy doing on the computer?"
"What do you enjoy doing on the computer?"
Connection Protection
One of the most important reasons people decide to use the Internet is to communicate and connect with others. Forest and Wood (2012) believe that feeling connected to people is a “fundamental human motivation” and rich social networks can promote better mental health (p. 295).
Many adolescents I work with are discouraged about sharing online relationships with their parents or other adults for fear of being scolded for talking to strangers online. By encouraging and supporting healthy and safe online connections, we enable individuals to confidently enter into and be more inclined to share about their relationships. Read below to learn how forming online connections can become a protective factor for adolescents.
References
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Baron, L. F. (2014). An Alternative social space for socio-political political participation: Facebook and Youth of Social Movements Organizations in the US.
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Christofides, E., Muise, A., & Desmarais, S. (2012). Risky disclosures on facebook: The effect
of having a bad experience on online behavior. Journal of Adolescent Research, 1-18.
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Forest, A.L. & Wood, J.V. (2012). When social networking is not working: Individuals with low
self-esteem recognize but do not reap the benefits of self-disclosure on facebook, Psychological Science, 23(3), 295-302.
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Keller, J. M. (2012). Virtual feminisms: Girls’ blogging communities, feminist activism, and participatory politics. Information, Communication & Society, 15(3), 429-447.
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Roberts, E., & Townsend, L. (2016). The contribution of the creative economy to the resilience of rural communities: exploring cultural and digital capital. Sociologia Ruralis, 56(2), 197-219.
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