This Pew Research Study Says Teens Think Their Lives are Harder Than Ever–Do They Have a Point?

It's (still) not easy being a teen.

Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah Scott

If you've ever rolled your eyes at your teen complaining their life is harder than ever, well, they now have some actual data to back it up.

In a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center, researchers asked 1,453 parents of teens whether they felt it was harder to be a teen 20 years ago or today. 69% of parents surveyed felt that today's world is tougher on teens. 44% of teens said the same.

The study examined many different aspects of teenage life, such as social pressures, violence, the state of the world, and more. But the biggest reason why parents felt that teenage life is harder now was social media, with 41% saying it was the biggest stressor. The second was technology in general at 26%.

Teens Say the Internet is Both Invaluable and an Instigator

Being a teenager has never been exactly easy. Between shifting hormones, navigating complicated friend dynamics, and wrestling with their own identities (while living in a house with parents who may not share all the same values), is a gargantuan task. However, the world looks a lot different now than it did two decades ago—mainly due to the internet.

Jeffrey Gottfried, the associate director of research at Pew Research Center and one of the researchers on the new study, tells Parents that it's part of a series the researchers are conducting on tech adoption among teens.

"Adolescents are the trailblazers when it comes to technology, and new devices, and online platforms," he shares, making them an essential group to study.

Gottfried says it was important to put teens' voices in the study. In doing so, some themes about negative experiences arose, most about the pressure that comes with technology and social media. Whether it's "the pressure to look a certain way, or act or a certain way, or present themselves a certain way" it was evident in the research.

A teen girl who was part of the study succinctly summed that feeling up, telling researchers, “Social media tells kids what to do and say. And if you aren’t up on it, you look like the fool and become like an outcast from lots of people.”

Still, the internet has perks. I mean, no one is driving around with printed-out Mapquest directions on their laps anymore. Kids can Google answers to questions in seconds, or talk to their grandparents across the globe. Teens acknowledge that in some ways, they do have it easier.

While the results of the study weren't surprising to Gottfried, the fact that teens pointed to technology as something that made life both harder and easier was a point of interest that may show how ingrained technology use is in their lives–for better and for worse. Though answers were divided, the overall sentiment among the teens is they feel technology makes their lives more difficult.

Social Media is a Mental Battlefield

Observing my own teen's relationship with social media, it does appear to make conflicts more difficult and certainly more drawn out. If friends get into an argument or have a falling out, online attacks seem to perpetuate the issue. Conflicts no longer stay at school, the sports field, or at the mall. With the reach of online interaction, teens who are having conflict with others may feel like there is no real safe space to go for a reprieve.

Some studies have even pointed to the epidemic of online bullying as being a culprit for troubling suicide rates and a teen mental health crisis.

Susanna Park, public health expert at the wellness app Skylight, tells Parents that cyberbullying is rampant, with 46% of teens ages 13 to 17 reporting that they have experienced it.

“This is a public health issue as victims of cyberbullying were nearly 2.5 times more likely to report psychosomatic complaints (physical ailments caused or worsened by psychological factors like stress, anxiety, etc.) than those who never experienced cyberbullying,” Park explains.

Titania Jordan, the author of Parenting in a Tech World and Chief Parent Officer of Bark, a resource designed to help protect kids online, agrees, saying cruel online behavior happens because kids come of age in “a world where hiding behind a veil of anonymity online is both pervasive and accepted.”

But dealing with the consequences of something online–even if they may feel small at the time–is actually massive, especially for teens, who Jordan explains are already dealing with tough transitions and insecurities.

Jordan also doesn't believe teens necessarily intend to be mean online, rather social media is set up to drive this kind of behavior.

“Additionally, the very nature of social media and group texts lends itself to exclusion (close friends lists, getting kicked out of the group, following and unfollowing)," she says. "We have essentially created a ripe landscape for cyberbullying at this stage of development, which deeply affects tweens’ and teens’ mental health.”

Picking and Fighting the Internet Battle

While the internet is pretty much impossible for today's teen to avoid, Jordan says there are ways to help them navigate the traps that add negativity to their lives. First, remember just because many kids are exposed to social media at an early age, there's no harm in setting the pace for your own kid.

She also suggests making your child aware that everything that happens online can be saved, screenshotted, or shared, and that using caution is extremely important. Expressing the impact of cyberbullying can't be underscored enough, either. She recommends watching Childhood 2.0, a documentary about children and teens navigating the challenging digital age, and even sharing it with kids.

Park points to positive technology usage, such as downloading mental health and wellness apps like Skylight, which are designed to help teens relax, embrace self-care, and even tune into their spiritual side.

”Of 11,915 individuals who use digital wellness apps, more than half of Gen Z (55%) report finding these apps on their own. This means that they are actively seeking ways to address their wellbeing," Park adds.

As the social media landscape is ever-changing, we’re constantly learning about its impact on society and on our kids. At the very least, we as parents need to be compassionate about the types of struggles our kids face that we may not have.

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Read the original article on Parents.