By: Cynthia Hess, PsyD
Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA
In recent years, stress has become a more prevalent part of childhood. Fast-paced lives, evolving educational expectations, and the decline of unstructured social interactions have reshaped the developmental experience of today’s youth. One significant factor in this shift is the ever-expanding role of technology and social media.
Stress, fundamentally, is the body’s response to challenge. While short-term stress can be helpful, chronic stress has more lasting effects, keeping the body in a heightened state of arousal and often leading to anxiety. Anxiety differs from typical stress in that it is persistent, disproportionate to the situation, and frequently arises without a clear trigger. This type of emotional overload can significantly impede a child’s ability to learn, grow, and connect with others.
My own research, conducted with over 100 fifth- and sixth-grade students, revealed a strong correlation between time spent on social media and internalizing behaviors, such as anxiety and depression. Many pre-teens in the study reported having multiple devices and profiles on several social media platforms, with some spending an exceptional amount of time per week online, raising concerns about what is being lost in the process, both developmentally and emotionally.
Social media can disrupt nearly every area of development. Physically, pre-adolescents are navigating puberty and changes in body image, which are already sensitive subjects that curated online content can exacerbate. Neurologically, the brain is experiencing significant changes that facilitate higher-order thinking. However, constant digital stimulation can derail these processes, especially the development of executive functions such as attention, planning, and impulse control.
Cognitively, children at this age are becoming more curious, organized, and future-focused, but excessive screen time can reduce their attention span, ultimately making learning feel overwhelming. Emotionally, they are beginning to ask important questions about their identity and becoming more vulnerable to social pressures. When their emotional experiences are shaped more by online interactions than face-to-face ones, their ability to develop empathy, emotional intelligence, and resilience may be hindered.
Social development also takes a hit. The need to belong intensifies in pre-teen years, and social media often becomes a double-edged sword, offering connection, but also exposing kids to harmful trends, superficial relationships, and online bullying. Real-life communication skills can lag, leaving children less equipped to handle the challenges of peer relationships and conflict.
So, what can we do? First, we must recognize that our children are anxious. National data shows that a significant percentage of youth already carry a diagnosis of anxiety, and many more experience symptoms that go unnoticed. Repeated exposure to stress and the instant feedback loops of social media can create a cycle where children become increasingly anxious and reliant on screens to self-soothe.
As caregivers, educators, and community members, we can begin by fostering emotional awareness. Talk regularly with children about their feelings, help them differentiate between healthy stress and anxiety, and model appropriate emotional expression. Encourage healthy coping strategies, such as regular exercise, mindfulness practices, creative outlets, and spending time outdoors. Monitor their online activity, not from a place of punishment, but one of partnership, curiosity, and learning. Show genuine interest in what they’re doing online, who they’re talking to, and what content they’re consuming.
It’s also crucial to protect the basic developmental needs of children: ample sleep, nutritious food, physical activity, and unstructured playtime. Avoid overscheduling, set clear screen-time boundaries, and follow through with consistent expectations. Community matters, too, and building a culture where we support one another, share resources, and stay informed is essential. We are navigating uncharted and dynamic technological territory. But by staying connected to the needs of our children, both online and offline, we can help them build the emotional resilience and skills they need to thrive.
References:
Turkle, S. (2017). Alone together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other. Basic Books.
Small, G., & Vorgan, G. (2008). iBrain: Surviving the technological alteration of the modern mind. New York: Harper Collins.
Uhls, Y. T., Michikyan, M., Morris, J., Garcia, D., Small, G. W., Zgourou, E., & Greenfield, P. M. (2014). Five days at an outdoor education camp without screens improve preteens’ skill with nonverbal emotion cues. Computers in Human Behavior, 39, 387-392. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.05.036
About the Author
Dr. Cynthia (Cindy) Hess conducts neuropsychological evaluations as a pediatric neuropsychologist at NESCA. Dr. Hess enjoys
working with children and young adults with complex emotional and behavioral profiles. She is skilled at evaluating social and emotional challenges as well as a range of learning profiles. Her experience allows her to guide families in understanding the supports and services their child requires to be successful in school.
To schedule an appointment with one of NESCA’s expert neuropsychologists, please complete our online intake form.
NESCA is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Plainville, and Hingham, Massachusetts; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and staff in the greater Burlington, Vermont region and Brooklyn, New York, serving clients from infancy through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.
practicing neuropsychology for 35 years and has been director of NESCA’s Neuropsychology practice for nearly three decades, continuously training and mentoring neuropsychologists to meet the highest professional standards.
meaningful skills in order to reach their goals. She has spent the majority of her career working in a private school for students with ASD. She has also spent some time working in an inpatient mental health setting. Lyndsay uses occupation-based interventions and strategies to develop life skills, executive functioning, and emotional regulation. While completely her doctoral degree at MGH Institute of Health Professions, Lyndsay worked with the Boston Center for Independent Living to evaluate transition age services. She uses the results from her research to deliver services in a way that is most beneficial for clients. Specifically, she focuses on hands-on, occupation-based learning that is tailored the client’s goals and interests.
families better understand their child’s unique neurocognitive, developmental, learning, and social-emotional profiles. She specializes in the assessment of toddlers, school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults. Her expertise involves working with youth exhibiting a diverse range of clinical presentations, including neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder, attention and executive functioning deficits, learning disabilities, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and associated emotional challenges. Dr. Manning is also trained in the assessment of children with medical complexities, recognizing how health conditions can impact a child’s development and functioning. She partners closely with families to develop practical, personalized recommendations that support each individual’s success and growth at home, in school, and within the community.
and developmental disabilities. She has a particular interest in children with autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, and those with complex medical histories. In addition, she evaluates adults who have concerns about whether they meet criteria for an ASD or ADHD diagnosis.
extensive experience working with children and adolescents with a range of learning and social/emotional abilities. Kristen’s strengths lie in her communication and advocacy skills as well as her strengths-based approach. She is passionate about developing students’ self-awareness, goal-setting abilities, and vision through student-centered counseling, psychoeducation, social skills instruction, and executive functioning coaching. Mrs. Simon has particular interests working with children and adolescents on the Autism spectrum as well as individuals working to manage stress or anxiety-related challenges.
research and academia for over 30 years. She is a national consultant and speaker on program design and the inclusion of children and adolescents with special needs, especially those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Prior to joining NESCA, Ms. Lucci was the Principal of the Partners Program/EDCO Collaborative and previously the Program Director and Director of Consultation at MGH/Aspire for 13 years, where she built child, teen and young adult programs and established the 3-Ss (self-awareness, social competency and stress management) as the programming backbone. She also served as director of the Autism Support Center. Ms. Lucci was previously an elementary classroom teacher, special educator, researcher, school psychologist, college professor and director of public schools, a private special education school and an education collaborative.
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