Description 

Many of us are familiar with social media platforms and how easy it can be to immerse oneself in the infinite scrolling feature, absorbing content effortlessly until something more pressing pulls our attention away. While social media can serve as a platform for building communities, gathering feedback, seeking information, or offering recreation, it often floods us with endless information, and amidst this, some content can be misleading or harmful. Increasingly, social media contains features that pose a risk of harm to mental health, especially those of children and adolescents. As mental health professionals it is important for us to understand the benefits and risks of social media on mental health and steps we can take to advocate for and assist patients in achieving digital wellness. This session will first discuss information and misinformation on social media and how this influences mental health and the delivery of mental health care. We will share real world examples and their impacts, current allegations filed against Meta by over 33 states, and some specific examples of social media use in adolescents that make them more vulnerable than other age groups. Second, we will dive into ways to approach troublesome social media use, recommendations and interventions for clinicians, patients, families and policy makers to promote digital wellness. Lastly, we will wrap up with a discussion of the session and present some relevant use cases to spark additional thought and guidance.

Format 

Recorded webinar.

This content was recorded during the APA 2024 Annual Meeting.

Learning Objectives 

1. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how both information and misinformation on social media platforms influence mental health, particularly in children and adolescents.
2. Learners will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to identify signs of harmful social media use in patients. Objective Three: Provide practical recommendations and interventions that mental health professionals can use to assist patients and their families in managing and mitigating the negative impacts.
3.  Attendees will engage in discussions and analyses of relevant use cases, enhancing their ability to apply the learned concepts in real-world scenarios.
4. To foster deeper understanding and critical thinking of how mental health professionals can provide effective guidance and support to those affected by the negative aspects of social media.

Target Audience 

Residents/Fellows, Psychiatrists, Psychologists

Estimate Time to Complete 

Estimated Duration: 1.5 hours
Program Start Date: May 17, 2025
Program End Date: May 17, 2028

How to Earn Credit 

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may do so after completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned. 

Continuing Education Credit  

In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. 

The APA designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Faculty and Planner Disclosures 

The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity. 

Instructors 

• Darlene King, MD
• Howard Liu, MD, MBA, DFAPA, DFAACAP, FACP
• Nicole Benson, MD
• Alok Kanojia, MD, MPH

Planners  

• Vishal Madaan, MD, Chief of Education and Deputy Medical Director at the American Psychiatric Association.

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities 

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. Please contact the American Psychiatric Association at 202-559-3900, if you require assistance seven (7) business days prior to the start of a live webinar. 

Technical Requirements 

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following: 

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari 
• Internet Explorer 11+ 

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player. 

Optimal System Configuration: 

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version) 
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version) 
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher 

Minimum Requirements: 

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content 
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content 

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance