Adolescent Mental Health and Smartphone Trends

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key concepts, study data, criticisms, and arguments regarding Gen Z mental health trends presented in Chapter 1.

Chapter 1 Thesis (Haidt)

Generation Z has higher rates of mental health problems than any previous generation at the same age.

2012 Upturn in Major Depressive Episodes

The point in time when a sharp upturn in major depressive episodes began among adolescents, according to Jonathan Haidt's interpretation of data from the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

US National Survey on Drug Use and Health Collection Method

The survey methodology where teens answered survey questions directly about their own mental health.

Internalizing Disorders

Psychological conditions that have increased sharply since 2010, with a concentration almost exclusively among the college-age population.

Criticism of The Coddling of the American Mind

The challenge from critics that Haidt's data on mental illness was based on self-reports and that subjects were simply more willing to self-diagnose.

Haidt's Response to Self-Report Critics

The author's counterargument strategy of examining and using mental health data that was not self-reported by teens.

Primary Contributing Factor to Mental Health Decline

The widespread use of smartphones beginning around 2010.

Timing Disconnect of World Events

Haidt's reason for rejecting the idea that worsening world events cause Gen Z's depression, noting that the timing of significant world events does not fit the rise of depression among adolescents, especially adolescent girls.

Chapter 1 Fortnite Story

An introductory narrative about a young autistic man whose mental health initially improved playing Fortnite online, but later became perpetually angry and showed withdrawal symptoms when his parents confiscated his electronics.

Chapter 1 Instagram Story

An introductory narrative about a young woman whose parents attempted to keep her off Instagram, resulting in her deleting their monitoring app and threatening self-harm if they reinstalled it.