Studies following the pandemic found that moving to virtual-only communication negatively impacted teens’ mental health. So is technology bad for teens? Or just the amount? Or just certain kinds?
Have Gen Z’s friendships and relationship-building abilities been affected by their exposure to digital devices at an early age? They do experience anxiety, especially in their digital interactions. Part of this involves their fear of being judged, and the intense pressure to create and stand out online.
But person-to-person contact still matters to adolescents — a lot.
Over half most often communicate with their closest friends in person.
Another 20% connect through phone calls, FaceTime, or WhatsApp.
The remaining 25% most often use texts, emails, DMs, etc., to communicate with friends.
As teens get older, their access to devices changes too. More have access to smartphones at 16 or 17 than at 13 or 14. The result? In-person communication declines, while texts and calls increase.
This shift is most noticeable around age 16. Remember what we said on page 14 about teens’ self-confidence and contentment with their relationships dropping at 16? It seems likely that as adolescents stop seeing their friends in person as much — texting instead of hanging out — their feelings of security and community decline too.
Like every generation before them, Gen Z is facing the intimidating transition of moving from childhood to adulthood — from dependence to independence. What makes them different from generations before them is doing it in a world that’s overwhelmed by more digital access than their minds can process.
When teens can’t understand or cope with these feelings, they can develop anxiety, self-doubt, loneliness, or unhealthy coping behaviors. That’s why it’s so important for them to have adults in their lives who will lean in during this period and help them navigate unfamiliar territory.