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Schools Grapple with Social Media’s Impact on Student Mental Health
Concerns about social media’s growing influence on student mental health took center stage when public school officials addressed the Rotary Club of Saipan last week, highlighting both challenges facing students and the district’s comprehensive support efforts.
During the question-and-answer session, Rotarian Donna Krum raised questions about whether the public school system (PSS) is witnessing worsening trends connected to social media use among students.
Walter Mendez, mental health program coordinator for the district, confirmed social media presents significant challenges. “Social media and access to information are a double-edged sword,” he explained. “It allows our students to have access to so much information, information that we’ve never had that much access to in the past. However, it also poses lots of risks and what we’re seeing is that risk.”
From a mental health perspective, Mendez noted these effects often manifest as overstimulation. “I’d say from the mental health program, yes, we are seeing some of those challenges,” he said, specifically citing “sensory overload” and “information overload” as common issues among students.
The officials emphasized that modern education extends far beyond traditional academics. “We aren’t just teaching subjects like math and reading and sciences,” Mendez said. “What we’re really looking for is how do we cultivate our citizens? How do we cultivate our students and our youth?”
Mendez and counseling program manager Dr. Paulette Tomokane outlined how the district is working across 20 schools in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to build resilience, teach conflict resolution, and strengthen students’ social-emotional skills through multiple programs.
The mental health program formally launched in 2020, initially connected to post-typhoon recovery efforts following super typhoons Soudelor and Yutu. “We had such a big impact in our community, we had felt as a district we could have applied for this grant to support our students who were really suffering in the background,” Mendez explained. He added that the COVID-19 pandemic later intensified these needs, bringing mental health concerns “to the surface.”
Rotarian Vincent J. Seman raised concerns about devices functioning as “electronic shackles” for many students, particularly in middle and high school, where cyberbullying and classroom conflicts continue well after school hours.
In response, Mendez noted that PSS is addressing these issues through its Instructional Technology and Distance Education Office, which conducts outreach on both the positive and negative aspects of device use. This includes educating students about warning signs of overuse and strategies to manage screen time effectively.
“That kind of outreach information is happening at the schools,” he confirmed. School counselors also regularly address “the social media and the impacts and the implications of social media” during classroom guidance sessions, making digital behavior a standard topic of discussion.
Mendez acknowledged the challenges of keeping pace with rapidly evolving technology. “Sometimes it feels like we’re a little bit behind because the challenges are right in front and it seems like we’re steps behind, but we are making efforts to keep the word out so that our kids are hearing both sides of their challenges.”
Tomakone added that the district’s outreach extends to families through the Family Engagement and Community Partnership Program. “We’re getting calls in for requests, and there’s a need that we need to go out to reach parents, whether it’s on how to address screen time behaviors that result from overstimulation of screens or controlling, teaching skills on how to manage social media life,” she said.
The concerns raised in Saipan reflect broader global conversations about social media’s impact on youth. In Australia, a social media ban for users under 16 has been in effect for nearly two months. Meanwhile, in the United States, a landmark social media addiction trial against YouTube and Meta, Instagram’s parent company, is currently underway. The case was brought by a 20-year-old woman who alleges these companies intentionally developed addictive features that harmed her mental health.
Just last week, Instagram head Adam Mosseri testified that he does not believe users can be “clinically addicted” to the social media platform, further highlighting the ongoing debate about social media’s impact on youth mental health across multiple jurisdictions.
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10 Comments
Sensory and information overload are real issues stemming from social media use. Developing effective strategies to mitigate these risks in the classroom setting is crucial.
Agreed. This will require a collaborative effort between educators, mental health professionals, and policymakers.
This is an important issue that many schools are grappling with. Providing students with the tools to navigate social media responsibly seems crucial to mitigating the mental health risks.
Agreed. Educating students on digital wellness and fostering healthy social media habits could make a real difference.
The ‘double-edged sword’ analogy is apt. Social media’s impact on student mental health is a growing concern that deserves serious attention from educators and policymakers.
Absolutely. Addressing this challenge comprehensively will be key to supporting student wellbeing in the digital age.
An interesting take on the double-edged sword of social media. Access to information is valuable, but the mental health risks, like sensory overload, are concerning. Curious to see how schools address this challenge going forward.
Yes, it’s a complex issue. Balancing the benefits and drawbacks of social media for student wellbeing will require a nuanced approach.
The mental health implications of social media use among students are clearly a growing concern. Proactive, multifaceted approaches will be needed to address this complex challenge.
It’s encouraging to see schools taking this issue seriously and implementing support programs. Balancing the benefits and risks of social media access will be an ongoing challenge.