Candice Odgers

Developmental psychologist and UC Irvine Chancellor’s Professor of Psychology and Informatics whose research focuses on adolescent mental health, digital technology, smartphones, social media, and child development in the digital age.

Teen Mental Health Is Not Primarily a Social Media Crisis

Developmental psychologist Candice Odgers argues in a TED talk that the dominant story about teenagers and technology is overstated: smartphones and social media are not the main explanation for youth distress. She says decades of data show a more mixed picture, with some teen risks at historic lows and mental health shaped more by adult distress, family conflict, school pressure and unsafe environments. Her warning is that social media bans may satisfy adults while diverting money and attention from counselors, teachers, safer spaces, digital mental health services and stronger regulation of tech companies.

TEDJul 2, 20267 min read