Students in a classroom. Source: NeONBRAND/Unsplash As millions of students pick up their backpacks and lace up those new sneakers for a new school year—it’s hard to imagine that this is the third year the pandemic is still affecting our students and teachers. Like any start of a new year and with the rising fears of COVID-19 continuing, stress is at an all-time high. All support staff and mental health professionals need to be on high alert for our students, parents, ad each other.
Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some simple advice would be to create a safe space for students and parents to talk it out. One of the most powerful tools is offering students, parents, and staff a place to express themselves freely. If they are new to a school building—or even if they have been on campus for years—this year will be unique. Walk the halls, speak to the teachers, and make yourself visible to the students. The more kids, teachers, and parents know there is someone or a team on site that they can talk to, the better.
Exploring the link between social media and mental health
I am most encouraged by some of the new technology that is emerging. With more research, I could one day help mental health clinicians support students who may have emerging psychiatric disorders that need addressing. We are making great strides in researching the ability to utilize digital footprints and online data—whether through internet search history, Facebook activity, or Instagram posts—to help identify characteristics of those struggling.
For example, in a new paper just published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, we analyzed the Instagram photos of 68 participants. Through machine learning, we were able to identify key differences between our healthy volunteers (HVs) and those with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Individuals with SSD posted images with lower saturation and lower colorfulness than HVs and images showing fewer faces on average. Individuals with SSD demonstrated a lower ratio of followers to following compared to HV participants.
These differences in uploaded images and user activity on Instagram helped highlight potential digital biomarkers of mental illness just from Instagram data. Of course, further research is needed, but the potential for what this means—for our school support staff and in outpatient care—is huge. By looking at someone’s digital tracks, we may identify a potential diagnosis, intervene, and deliver care sooner.
In a world where students live and learn online, especially as we continue to see remote learning used in schools, it is essential to recognize the power that the internet and social media have in the field of psychiatry.
As we head into a new school, remember to stay alert, be accessible, and be ready to lend an ear to whoever may need it.