More children are getting access to cellphones and social media from a young age, raising concerns about the impact of online exposure on their development.
While technology can provide children with opportunities to learn, communicate and connect, excessive screen time and social-media use can also affect their mood, anxiety levels, confidence and self-image.
Speaking to VOC, clinical psychologist Shelley Hall says parents should consider their child’s personality and ability to follow boundaries before giving them access to social media.
“If you’ve got a child who’s quite impulsive and doesn’t really follow the rules well at home, then if you’re going to put them online and give them access to that whole platform, those sort of things are going to really be amplified.”
Hall says social media can have benefits, particularly by providing access to connection and learning opportunities, but warns that children are becoming exposed to issues around body image and self-confidence at increasingly younger ages.
“There are some positives, like it does offer a lot of connection and learning opportunities… But there are the negatives: mood, anxiety, this comparison and confidence.”
Listen to the full interview with Shelley Hall below.
Photo: Pexels
