by John-Michael Dumais, childrenshealthdefense.org, 13 August 2024
In a bold experiment that addresses the growing concerns about smartphone addiction and teen mental health, British journalist Decca Aitkenhead challenged her two teenage sons and eight of their friends to go without smartphones for a month.
The results, published this month in the U.K.’s Sunday Times Magazine, offer a compelling glimpse into how digital detox can transform young lives — and potentially address what author Jonathan Haidt, Ph.D., calls the “anxious generation.”
Aitkenhead’s experiment, inspired by Haidt’s research on teen mental health trends, didn’t just take away cellphones. It culminated in an unsupervised camping trip that pushed boundaries of independence rarely seen in today’s overprotective parenting culture.
The outcomes surprised the teens and adults involved, and revealed unexpected resilience and joy in disconnecting from electronics, according to Aitkenhead.
“I’m really glad I did it,” one participant told Aitkenhead. “It was way better than I expected.”
This real-world test of Haidt’s theories comes at a crucial time. Recent data show rates of anxiety and depression among teens have more than doubled since the early 2010s, coinciding with the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media.
As parents and policymakers grapple with the crisis, experiments like Aitkenhead’s offer hope and practical insights.
Continue reading:
https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/teens-smartphones-one-month-digital-detox/
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