An Elon University psychology professor’s work on teen mental health and social media was recently featured in The Lewistown Sentinel.
Bilal Ghandour, associate professor of psychology, was highlighted by “The Sentinel” in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, for his research on how constant digital engagement shapes adolescent well-being.
The story follows a presentation Ghandour delivered for the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11, “a regional educational service agency meeting the needs of the public and nonpublic schools, personnel and students in Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata and Mifflin counties” in Pennsylvania.
During the presentation, Ghandour shared research-based strategies for parents and educators navigating the challenges of raising and teaching in the smartphone era.
Ghandour, who specializes in adolescent mental health, described the rise in screen time as “a fundamental and massive issue.” He noted that many teens now spend eight to ten hours daily on their phones, time that can displace the face-to-face interactions essential for healthy development.
“The major downside I see is the lack of a stable formation of yourself and your confidence level,” Ghandour said. “When you are bombarded with images and comments of people who are trying to one up each other, it becomes very easy to be cast aside or to want to imitate. So, you end up imitating a person or a look or a mindset that’s really not you, but you’re just so tempted to copy someone in order to get approved, get acceptance, get ahead.”
The article also spotlighted Ghandour’s collaboration with Keegan Lee, a student at the Burlington School, who reached out to the professor because of her own social media use. Lee unplugged from social media for 60 days and journaled her experience, which Ghandour was able to both analyze and offer feedback on. Lee turned those journal entries and Ghandour’s research into a book called “60 Days of Disconnect,” co-authored with Ghandour.
In his presentation, highlighted by “The Sentinel,” Ghandour also addressed how today’s digital environment accelerates emotional development.
“In the 21st century, our children are growing up faster, and it puts them in danger in numerous ways,” he said.
Read the full article in “The Sentinel.”