ISLAMABAD:Expert Friday expressed serious concern over the increasing use of technology that youngsters’ social skills were being declined as they have less time for face-to-face communication due to their increased use of digital media which was affecting their behavioral and mental health and their communities.
Talking to the PTV news channel, a renowned communication expert Naseeba Shahzad said that digital communication has been affecting the landscape of social interactions in many different ways, adding, that many teens even sit at a table and gravitate towards their phones instead of communicating with their elders.
She said relying on social media or texting to stay in touch can isolate individuals and prevent them from developing the social skills they need in the real world.
She suggested to youngsters that face-to-face communication is more effective than written or audio-only conversations, adding, that this is because seeing one another allows us to pick up on nonverbal cues and body language.
Teens need to keep everyone in the loop by maintaining regular face-to-face communication, she said, adding, try to include different types of meetings, including a mix of one-to-one and team meetings.
Face-to-face communication can also help with conflict resolution by reducing misunderstandings, she advised.
In response to a question, bedtime media device use is strongly associated with inadequate sleep quantity, poor sleep quality, and excessive daytime sleepiness in children and adolescents.
Online communication with virtual friendship networks was associated with lower mental well-being, with stronger associations for girls than boys; however, frequent online communication with ‘real’ friends was associated with better well-being, she added.
Cyberbullying can also affect teens in many ways, causing depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and social phobia, she highlighted.