We're revisiting this poignant episode that highlights how important it is for parents to regularly check-in with their kids about their online activity and behaviors. Dr. Delaney Ruston interviews journalist Dashka Slater about her book, Accountable, where she writes about the true story of a social media account run by a small group of teens who posted racist memes. The account spread quickly and got edgier as it went. The book follows the account’s profound effect on the teens, friends, and high school.

Slater dives into issues like what compels teens to do things they know are out of bounds, such as acts of racism, the difference between guilt and shame, and transformative justice. Slater discusses methods of communicating with children about preventing doing such acts, and Dr. Ruston provides strategies for them to use when they encounter friends who do, and shares advice for parents and teens on dealing with the repercussions of online racism and the complexities of forgiveness and empathy.

Here is a link to Dashka Slater’s website, where you can find a link to her book and much more.

Here is Slater’s Substack, where she has lesson plans, too.

00:04 Introduction and Overview

01:04 The Epidemic of Online Racism

01:43 Unveiling the Story of 'Accountable'

02:42 The Impact of Racist Online Activities

03:01 The Discovery and Consequences of the Racist Account

08:34 The Role of Video Games in Promoting Offensive Language

10:10 The Creation and Spread of the Racist Account

11:35 The Bystander Effect and Group Dynamics

18:52 The Impact on the Victims

21:38 Understanding Different Types of Justice

24:56 The Role of Restorative Justice in Schools

44:43 The Power of Forgiveness and Healing

47:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Screenagers podcast, Dr Ruston talks with three teen girls from middle school, high school, and college about their experiences, both good and bad, with Instagram. They discuss why they joined the platform, how they use it, and the types of content they see, including ads and influencer posts. The conversation delves into the emotional impact of social media, including issues of comparison, curated posts, and the prevalence of ads. In addition, they touch on issues of subliminal messaging and the risks and benefits of posting about one’s true emotional state. This episode is intended for adult and youth audiences.

Time Code

00:00 Introduction to the Screenagers Podcast

01:20 Meet the Teen Guests

02:31 First Impressions of Instagram

04:54 The Allure and Pitfalls of Instagram

09:16 Ads and Influencers: A Deep Dive

13:10 The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

22:35 Likes, Comments, and Posting Etiquette

27:18 Final Thoughts and Farewell

How do we get our kids to make healthier choices when it comes to resisting junk food, smoking, or social media? In today’s podcast episode, Dr. Ruston talks with David Yeager, a leading researcher in the science of youth behavior change, motivation, and the power of mindsets, which are essentially our beliefs.

Yeager studies show what happens when youth — who don’t like to be manipulated —  are taught about companies’ manipulative tactics.

This episode also features segments from our movie, Screenagers Under the Influence, which address the impacts of deceptive marketing by e-cigarette companies like Juul. This episode is intended for adult and youth audiences. 

Featured Expert

David Yeager, PhD

Research References

Harnessing adolescent values to reduce unhealthy Snacking (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America)

Values-Alignment Messaging Boosts Adolescents' Motivation to Control Social Media Use (Child Development)

Additional links

Book: "10 to 25, The Science of Motivating Young People," by David S. Yaeger

‍Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising 

Robert Jackler, MD

Movie: Screenagers Under The Influence

The Influence of the National truth® Campaign on Smoking Initiation

Time code

00:00 Introduction to Screenagers Podcast

00:36 The Art and Science of Communicating with Teens

01:22 Interview with Researcher David Yeager

02:26 Screenagers Under the Influence: Vaping and Juul

06:44 The Junk Food Industry's Manipulative Tactics

19:04 Impact of Anti-Smoking Campaigns

21:56 Conclusion and Call to Action

Featured Expert

David Johnson Ed.D LMHC

Show Notes:

00:00 Introduction: The Impact of Parental Trauma on Parenting

01:16 Meet Dr. David Johnson: Insights on Trauma and Parenting

02:10 Understanding Trauma: Definitions and Effects

04:57 Trauma Responses and Their Impact on Behavior

08:15 Screen Time Conflicts: Analyzing Parental Reactions

10:41 The Power of Insight and Intention in Overcoming Trauma

27:58 Family Dynamics and Counseling: Strategies for Healing

30:32 Conclusion and Invitation to Engage

Is social media, smartphones, and the sheer amount of time that young people are on screens really the main reason for the rise in mental health problems of today’s youth? On today’s episode, we delve into this pressing issue with Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, and author of the current New York Times bestselling book, "The Anxious Generation". His insights provide a clear and compelling explanation of why this indeed is likely the case. Beyond just correlational studies, what do actual experiments show us about the link between teen mental health and screen time? Why is the time of puberty particularly concerning when it comes to handing over smartphones and social media? Why does social media seem to impact girls more negatively than boys? These are just some of the questions that today’s episode addresses. In addition, Haidt offers two solutions for improving teen mental health. This episode is not just for adults but also for teens who are directly affected by these issues. Of note, suicidal ideation is mentioned briefly in the episode. 

Featured Expert

Jonathan Haidt, PhD

Research References

Links to research discussed in the episode

Additional Links 

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Time Code

In today’s episode, Dr. Delaney Ruston talks with author Peggy Orenstein about a media-fueled risky sexual practice that is happening among some teens today — choking, also called sexual strangulation. Orenstein, who has spent many years researching sexuality among youth for her books “Girls and Sex” and “Boys and Sex,” investigated the topic of sexual choking for a New York Times article that was published last month. Today, Orenstein shares some of her findings from that investigation, including the influence of pornography and other media on this new trend.  What are the psychological and physical risks of this practice? And what are ways to have productive conversations with young people on this and related topics? This episode also includes a 19-year-old discussing her concerns about sexual choking. This episode is intended for adult audiences. 

Featured Expert

Peggy Orenstein

Research References

The Troubling Trend in Teen Sex -New York Times Article by Peggy Orenstein

What is rough sex, who does it, and who likes it? Findings from a probability sample of US undergraduate students (Archives of Sexual Behavior)

Additional Links 

Yes Your Kid: What Parents Need to Know about Today’s Teens and Sex, by Debby Herbenick

Sex, Teens, and Everything in Between,  by Shafia Zaloum

Want Me by Tracy, by Clark Flory

Girls and Sex, by Peggy Orenstein 

Boys and Sex, by Peggy Orenstein

Time Code

00:00 Introduction to the Screenagers Podcast

00:17 The Shocking Reality of Choking in Sexual Encounters Among Youth

01:18 Mainstream Media's Role in Normalizing BDSM and Choking

02:02 Insightful Conversation with Peggy Ornstein on Sexual Strangulation

05:42 The Alarming Data on Choking Among College Students

07:42 The Influence of Media and Social Media on Sexual Behavior

13:24 Addressing the Risks and How to Talk About Them

20:56 Empowering Youth to Speak Out and Advocate for Safety

24:12 Concluding Thoughts and Resources for Challenging Conversations

In today’s episode, Dr. Delaney Ruston talks with Casey O’Roarty, Med., who is a well-recognized expert in Positive Discipline, particularly when it comes to tweens and teens. She is the author of Joyful Courage and the host of the Joyful Courage podcast and has spent over 15 years working with families. In this episode, Casey provides real-life anecdotes about when kids sneak screen time when they have meltdowns and other behaviors, and she explores fostering curiosity, addressing meltdowns, and finding the delicate balance between having firmness while fostering a strong parent-child relationship.  In addition, another guest, a mother of three kids,  shares her experience with ditching her old parenting ways to adopt the Positive Discipline approach.

Show Notes

Casey O’Roarty’s website

Sometimes, gaming is not all fun and games. Foul words and degrading comments are all too common when kids and teens play video games together. From first-person shooter games like Call of Duty to building games like Minecraft and Roblox, competitive banter can be ugly. In this episode, Dr Ruston talks with Dr. Kishonna Gray, assistant professor of digital studies at the University of Kentucky, who researches various human dynamics that occur during video gaming. Dr. Gray works with parents and youth on how to manage the hard parts of gaming culture and shares many insights and solutions on today’s show. A teen gamer adds thoughts as well. The episode is intended for adult and youth audiences.

Kishona Gray

We're bringing back this episode today to help with the common arguments in the home about screen time and what to do. What is a parenting strategy that can promote healthy screen use, and other positive behaviors, while at the same time decrease fighting? In this episode of The Screenagers Podcast, Dr. Delaney Ruston talks with one of her favorite parenting experts, Dr. Tammy Fisher Huson, about a strategy that has made a real difference in Dr. Ruston's own home. 

Parenting kids has always had challenges, but now, in the tech revolution, conflicts are at a new level. The good news is that research shows that conflicts done well have all sorts of benefits for youth. But how do we ensure healthier conflicts? On today’s episode, Dr. Ruston talks with Lisa Damour, Ph.D. psychologist and author of three New York Times best-selling books about adolescents, including “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers.” The episode explores teen psychology, common screen time arguments, and several approaches to having healthier conflicts. The episode is intended for adult and youth audiences.

Lisa Damour’s website 

The Ask Lisa Podcast

Books by Lisa Damour:

Untangled

Under Pressure 

The Emotional Lives Of Teenagers