Psychologist Peter Gray challenges link between social media and teen depression

Psychologist Peter Gray of Boston College is challenging the prevailing theory that social media and smartphones are the primary drivers of rising depression and anxiety among teenagers. In his new book, ‘Restore Childhood: How to Free Children in an Age of Anxiety’, Gray disputes the arguments made by Jonathan Haidt, author of ‘The Anxious Generation’. Haidt has gained significant traction by linking the mental health decline of youth since 2010 to digital technology and has advocated for social media bans for minors in Australia.

Gray argues that the decline in adolescent mental health is actually linked to a loss of autonomy and the implementation of rigid educational methods, such as the Common Core program, rather than technology itself. He notes that the expansion of the internet in the 1990s and 2000s may have actually improved adolescent well-being. Furthermore, Gray suggests that school-related pressure remains a primary source of stress and warns that banning social media might distract from addressing the real issues of childhood independence and academic stress.