Social Networking in
Middle School
Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Beacon Behavioral Services
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Sharing
 Text, Pictures, and Video
 Private vs. Public
 Sharing with a community that does not forget
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
School Use
 Some teachers and classes utilize social media
 Listing of tasks
 Group discussion
 Confirm assignments
 Seek help from classmates
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Positive Experiences with
Social Media
 Introduction to socializing for shy children
 Increased social interaction due to ease
 Decrease feelings of isolation
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Positive Research Findings
 Virtual Empathy
 Introverted adolescents learn how to socialize
 Engage young students in learning
 (Rosen 2011)
 Blogging can benefit teens with social anxiety
 Expressive writing and free expression (Boniel-Nissim &
Barak, 2013)
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
The Evolution of Fail!





No record
Pictures
Video
Posted publically
Easily shared directly
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Distraction
 Self Discipline
 Increased homework time with poor performance
 Checking Facebook associated with lower grades
 (Rosen 2011)
 Large waste of time
 Become obsessed with what is posted
 Sleep problems
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Brain Development
 Frontal Lobe not fully developed until 20’s
 Responding impulsively
 Putting all thoughts online
 Poor judgment about what is appropriate
 Safe
 Respectful
 Private
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Middle School Brain Traps
 If it is printed, it must be true
 Belief that classmates will always focus on event
 Lack of understanding that social media cannot be
erased, even if forgotten
 Actions outside of school can be brought to school
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Observed Trends
 Girls are more concerned with privacy
 Girls can be more critical or hurtful
 Grudges can be held much longer for girls vs. boys
 Boys can be more impulsive
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
“I’m so much cooler online”
 Engage in behavior that is not typical in person
 Desensitized to ruthless behavior
 Easy to pile on victim with mob mentality
 Targets of mean behavior are hurt just as easily
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Negative Consequences
 Anxiety over feeling a need to be connected at all
times
 Do not gain the appropriate skills to have
interpersonal interactions in the real world
 More about appearance than the experience
 Not living in the moment, focused more on sharing it
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Research Findings (Rosen 2011)
 Teens who use Facebook more often show more
narcissistic tendencies
 Overuse of media and technology by children finds
them more prone to psychological disorders
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Summary of General Concerns
 Inexperienced with how to handle Social Media
 Distracting and Time Waster
 Impulsive and Lack of Understanding
 Not learning appropriate social skills
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
More Problematic Activities
 Cyberbullying or Harassment
 Cyberstalking
 Sexting
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Research Findings
 Cyberbullying results in students feeling socially
anxious, lonely, sad, frustrated, and helpless (Chung
2011)
 Worse when anonymous with no rebuttal
 Victims often become future bullies
 Mixed research on frequency of cyberbullying
 Harassed or stalked online experience higher level of
stress and trauma than similar events in person (Carll
2011)
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Social Media in the Media
 Today Show story about Tennessee teacher’s picture
experiment
 Thanksgiving day CT Police are investigating Weston
High School
 Cyberbullying arrest in Manchester, CT
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Rolling Stone (Burleigh 2013)
 Sophomore girl committed suicide
 Sexually assaulted
 Pictures taken
 Pictures were shared
 Middle School
 Hot List
 “Bra or No Bra” picture requests
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Don’t Despair, You Can
Make A Difference
 Learning opportunity for everyone
 Parents need to be educated
 Be involved in child’s life
 Talk about it early and openly
 Monitoring programs can be bypassed
 Passwords?
 Privacy vs. Safety
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
How to Navigate Social Media
 Use in moderation
 Healthy balance
 Educate your children and yourself
 Have proper supervision from parents
 Be involved
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
Any Questions?
Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
860-676-9350 x18
rhartmann@beaconbehavioral.com
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
References
 Boniel-Nissim, M. & Barak, A (2013). The therapeutic value
of adolescents’ blogging about social-emotional
difficulties. Psychological Services, Vol. 10 (3), 333-341.
 Burleigh, N. (September 26, 2013). Sexting, Shame, &
Suicide. Rolling Stone, 1192, 48-55.
 Carll, E. (2011, August). Electronic harassment and
cyberstalking: Intervention, prevention, and public
policy. 119th Annual Convention of the American
Psychological Association. Lecture conducted from
Walter E. Washington Convention Center,
Washington, DC.
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.
References
 Chung, Y. (2011, August). Effect of emotion regulation for
cyberbullied adolescents: A structural equation
modeling approach. Poster presented at Annual
Convention of American Psychological Association in
Washington, DC.
 Rossen, L. (2011, August). Poke me: How social
networks can both help and harm our kids. 119th
Annual Convention of the American Psychological
Association. Lecture conducted from Walter E.
Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC.
© 12/2/2013 Ryan Hartmann, Ph.D.