Deborah Howell (Host): You know, there's not a parent I know who doesn't need a little advice on navigating the impact of social media on their children's mental health. Well, we have an expert on just that, with us today. Dr. Amy Morse, a Pediatric Psychologist at Miller Children's and Women's Hospital in Long Beach. From understanding social media habits to fostering healthy self-esteem, in this episode we'll help parents find practical strategies to help their kids thrive in the digital world.

Welcome, Dr. Morse.

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: Thanks for having me.

Host: Very much looking forward to this. So you're up to your elbows in this every day. What are some of the biggest mental health challenges you see in children and teens due to social media?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: We all know that kids and teens are spending more time on devices, consuming more social media than ever before, and there's established science which tells us the type of social media that kids are consuming has an impact on things like depression and anxiety.

So what kids are consuming matters. And we also know that kids and teens need opportunities to be face-to-face with their peers and to learn how to develop social relationships in the real world, as the kids say it. So it's important that we provide kids with opportunities to be with their peers in the real world and develop important social skills that they can apply to their online experiences.

Host: Absolutely. So how can parents tell if their child's social media use is starting to impact their mental wellbeing?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: You know when parents and caregivers notice a change in a child's behavior, they should ask themselves, why now? Why is my child getting upset now and what has changed in their environment that could contribute to the behavior? Sometimes we don't know what social media our kids are consuming or how it's impacting their mood, and it's important for parents to ask kids what they enjoy about social media and what feelings they're experiencing it while they're on it.

For some kids, connecting the dots between social media and feelings can be hard, but parents can support them by discussing their own feelings when they're on social media and talking about this is an important part of a child's overall mental health.

Host: Yeah, that's a really great idea. So at what age do you think it's appropriate for children to start using social media and why that age?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: Well, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization have developed quite a few helpful guidelines on screen time and social media consumption for kids. I encourage parents to wait as long as possible before allowing kids to use social media. You know, it's designed to keep you interested. They've got taglines and interesting stories that pull kids in and keep them scrolling. So, while every family is different, it's important for them to have conversations around social media consumption, how to be safe on social media, kind of spot the bots and the strangers. And also recognize that, brevity and family's agreements around social media are important parts of helping them prepare before they get started.

Host: So I'm curious, are there signs of healthy versus unhealthy social media habits for kids?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: There are. Parents and caregivers can be on the lookout for changes in behavior that seems out of the ordinary or outside of a particular situation. And while parents know their kids the best, they're best able to recognize when a child's mood or a child's behavior just seems unusually different.

Parents can consider replacing social media time with another activity that a child enjoys, such as time with family or friends. That can really help kids remember that there are lots of real world activities that are just as rewarding as social media time.

Host: Just as rewarding, if not even more.

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: That's right.

Host: This is the big question in my mind. How can parents set effective boundaries around social media without pushing their kids away?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: A little curiosity goes a long way. It's important for parents to show interest in what kids are watching on social media. Ask questions, be in the room and understand how they're interacting and what they're interacting with online. So parent engagement is a great way to model critical thinking, which helps kids develop the skills to be a cautious consumer of social media.

Host: Cautious consumer. I like that. I have a question for you personally. Do you think social media affects boys and girls differently, from what you've seen? And if so, how?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: Each child and their family are unique. Social media consumption affects kids differently depending on their developmental level, personality and environment. While there's established science on the negative impact of lots of social media consumption for kids, overall, I find that there are lots of factors that contribute to a child's experience on social media that aren't limited to gender.

Host: Interesting. Now another thing that our listeners can benefit from hugely. How can parents support their kids if they're experiencing cyber bullying or negative interactions online?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: You know, parents and caregivers should have open discussion with kids about cyber bullying experiences or any negative online interactions. It's important to give kids space to tell their story about their experience and how it makes them feel. Social media posts have a sense of permanence and pervasiveness, and by helping kids put a context around the experience, caregivers can help them begin to distance themselves from the emotional experience of the online event.

And parents are encouraged to help kids engage in more of those real world activities with peers and family members, so that they experience positive interactions with others and change that narrative and their self-esteem.

Host: I know there've been some recent studies where, cell phones have been banned in schools and the kids are so much happier.

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: They are, they really are.

Host: So how can parents address issues like comparison, body image, and validation that often come up with social media use?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: That's a topic that is really relevant to my personal and my professional work. It's important for parents and caregivers to model body neutral language. Use body neutral language at home to really help reduce the unintended consequences of attaching guilt or shame to a particular body shape.

And so talking with kids about the family's value and health and respect for individuals of all different shapes and sizes who are living in other types of bodies, is an important part of helping to teach kids about body neutral language and how they can continue to support their overall self-esteem.

Host: Would you feel comfortable giving us an example of using body neutral language?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: It's important for parents to be able to talk about different shapes. Larger body being stronger or healthier, are great words that parents can use to help kids disentangle guilt about a different size and help it be more supportive.

Host: Got it. I have a final question for you. Are there any positive aspects of social media for children's mental health and how can parents encourage these?

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: Yeah. Social media creates opportunities for kids to stay connected with family members, right, and engage in creative activities. It gives kids lots of ideas for solutions to problems or new information, and surely helps to increase access to these resources for individuals that have variability levels.

So balance here is key. Helping kids understand how to moderate the use of social media and critically consider who they're talking to and what they're viewing is really important. By discussing social media as a family and using it as a way to stay creative and be connected can be really helpful and healthy ways to engage.

Host: What a perfect way to wrap up. And we thank you so, so much, Dr. Morse for your time and your expertise today. We really enjoyed having you on the podcast.

Amy Morse, PsyD, ABPP: Thanks for having me.

Host: And if you'd like to learn more about recognizing the warning signs of mental health issues in children, please visit millerchildrens.org. That's all for this time. I'm Deborah Howell. Have yourself a terrific day.