Commissioning social media and digital addiction interventions for young people

Emerging adulthood is one of the critical developmental stages that has received considerable attention from researchers; That is the period between 18 to 25 years old, in which young adults are expressing their identity, weighing career options, and forming adult romantic relationships without the expectation of adopting adulthood responsibilities soon (Arnett, 2004)

A survey by Digital Awareness UK and the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC) showed that social media is having a negative impact on emotional wellbeing among young people with 57% saying they had received abusive comments online, 56% admitted to being on the edge of addiction and 52% saying social media made them feel less confident about how they look or how interesting their life is. Addiction to social media has many serious effects, including poor study habits, living away from reality and bad health.

Different methods are being used around the world to help young people navigate an increasingly digital upbringing. Kiatiphum Wongrajit, director-general of the Department of Mental Health in Bangkok, raised the profile of a growing addiction to social media in Thailand at the international symposium titled "Mental Health in a Changing World: The New Challenges. The department has since opened a hotline to provide advice to ease resulting emotional and psychological stress which received over 800,000 calls.

Other Schools and Universities including Assumption University, Graduate School of Psychology (Human Sciences) have placed emphasis on supporting parents with their knowledge and skills by utilising evidence based strategies and methods to strengthen relationships and improve well-being.

Other approaches include;

1. Peer-to-Peer Education: Young people are often more receptive to information and advice from their peers rather than adults. Peer-to-peer education programs can be effective in promoting healthy social media habits among young people. This approach involves training young people to be peer educators who can lead workshops, discussions, or other educational activities on social media addiction prevention.

2. Family Engagement: Family engagement is an important aspect of social media addiction prevention. Programs that engage families and caregivers can be effective in preventing addiction to social media. This can involve workshops, discussions, or other activities that promote healthy social media habits among young people and their families.

3. Gamification: Using gamification techniques can make social media addiction prevention more engaging and interactive. For example, creating a game that rewards young people for taking breaks from social media or limiting their screen time can be an effective way of promoting healthy social media habits.

4. Mindfulness and Meditation: Incorporating mindfulness and meditation techniques into social media addiction prevention programs can help young people develop a better understanding of their emotions and behaviours. Mindfulness can also help young people to better regulate their social media use and prevent addiction.

5. Social Media Sabbaticals: Encouraging young people to take periodic breaks from social media can help prevent addiction. Social media sabbaticals can be incorporated into social media addiction prevention programs, where young people are encouraged to take a break from social media for a week or longer.

6. Digital Detox Retreats: Digital detox retreats offer an opportunity for young people to disconnect from social media and technology. These retreats can be designed to promote healthy habits, mindfulness, and self-care. They can also provide young people with an opportunity to connect with nature and other young people who are interested in healthy social media habits.