9835 E. Bell Rd., Ste. 140Scottsdale, AZ 85260

(602) 957-7600www.beljanpsych.com

v.berens@beljanpsych.comTwitter@BeljanPsych

iGeneration:

Casey Heinsch, MAS, LAMFTSarah Bald, Psy.D.

Trends, Theory and Treatment

iGen� The rise of difficulties and strengths

� Influences on the generation

� Changes in Education

� Technology addition

� Recommendations

Generations

� The Greatest Generation (Born before 1928)

� The Silent Generation (Born 1928-1945)

� The Baby Boomer (Born 1945 to 1965)

� Generation X (Born 1965 to 1980)

� The Millennial Generation (1980 to 1995)

� iGen (Born 1995 to current)

MillennialsThey are the most confident, assertive, entitled generation, but they had the

highest rates of depression, anxiety, and personality disorders

Move Over Millennials Here Comes iGen

They are super connected, less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy, and completely unprepared for adulthood

WHAT HAPPENED?Important events that took place in the 1980’s� Pro-Child � Child Abduction/America’s Most Wanted� Nation at Risk� No Child Left Behind� Self-Esteem Movement� Play Dates

Important events in the 1990’s� Internet and computers � Cell phones

Important events in 2000’s� 9/11� The fall of the economy

Influence on iGen� Great Recession

� Student Loan Debt Crisis

� African American President

� Affordable Care Act becoming Law

� Gay Marriage becoming Legal

� Marijuana Becoming Legal

� Twenty Something's Becoming Millionaires

Current Trends with iGen� More ethnically diverse: 47%

� Fluid Personality Identities and Trans- Generation

� Increased interest in wealth

� Has learned to search for own information

� Digital natives but prefer: � Mobile Devises over Computers � Youtube over Television � IM/PM over Email� Snapchat and Instagram over Facebook

iGen Need for Safety� They need to feel a sense of safety, especially

emotional safety

� They are more cautious than previous generations and take fewer risks

� Confrontation makes them uncomfortable

� They are also afraid to ask for help

� Safest generation: accidents, sexual assaults, alcohol use. They are the least rebellious generation

Millennials as Parents:From Helicopter to Drone

The Down Fall of Helicopter Parenting� Higher rates of mental health issues

� Inflated self-esteem with little skills

� Difficulties establishing their Identity

� Ineffective problem solving and coping skills

� Delays in emerging into adulthood

Millennial Parenting� Drone parenting

� Most educated

� Technology Driven and highly connected

� Research Based: Bloggers/Fad of the Month/Book of the Month

� “Me time”- Increase in personal nannies

� Pay for more diverse activities

Drone Parenting� Drone parents are aware of where their children at

all times; however, this generation does not mind it.

� They prefer if their parent goes with them places

� Downfall is that drone parents treat their teens and young adults like they are children.

� Is it the parents that want them to stay young forever or iGen’ers wanting to stay children without responsibilities?

Is it the parents that want them to stay young forever or iGen’ers wanting to stay children without responsibilities?

Growing Up Slowly � iGen’ers are taking their time and delaying becoming

an adult ~Adulting is now a verb

� They are delayed in driving, working, dating, having sex and taking on adult responsibilities

� They have lowered alcohol use, reduced crime rates and less sexual activities

� They are less impulsive and less indulgent

Interpersonal Relationships� They have many friends, just not face to face

� iGen’ers are not meeting up with their friends as much, dating, or going to parties.

� They prefer using their smartphone or video games for conversations and gatherings. The party is always going

� They are more entertained at home watching Netflix, Hulu, and Youtube

� They do not find it unusual to have their parents or friends parents at social gathers

� 20 is the new 40

The Rise of the Smartphone Generation� The average iGen’er is on their phone nearly 9 hours a day and over 11

hours on technology

� FOMO (Fear of missing out) similar symptoms of Anxiety especially OCD

� Net binges (20 hours or more on a single session)

� Phantom Vibration Syndrome

� Consequences similar to chemical addictions

� “Facebook depression”

� Mood changes- both positive and negative

� Thinking about being online

Technology and Social Media Influences

� Highest rates of social media having a direct impact on: - How they feel about themselves

- Their self-esteem

- On their happiness

� YouTube/VidCon

� Social media Platforms- Vine 54%

- Instagram 52%

- Twitter 34%

- Facebook 57%

Mental Health with iGen� Depression, anxiety and sleep disorders are the

highest out of all previous generation

� ADHD, impulse control disorders, and OCD are on the rise

� Suicide rates are on the rise the first time since 1990

� HOWEVER, they are like ducks on a pond, they try to appear calm on the service but are struggling underneath

Educating the New Generation

Changes in Education � No Child left behind-Caused Homogenous public

school teaching to mediocrity

� No competition: Everyone gets a medal

� Parents thwarting their child’s accountability and responsibility for failure

� Parents attempting to dominate or control teachers/administration

� Excessive homework

The New Generation and Education� Millennials and iGen-ers grew up when the school system

was undergoing fundamental cultural change: Education changed to outcome base and not development and critical thinking

� Kindergarten is the new 1st grade

� iGen-ers are disengaged and not sure they want to be there

� iGen-ers are not convinced that their education will help them get good jobs or give them information they will need later

� They lost the joy of learning

Technology in the ClassroomPros� Visual learning to compete with a digital world

and 3-D graphics� Promote a more individualized pace� Access to new and up to date information and

increasing resources� Cost effective and more convenient

Cons� More distractions� Social disconnect� Quality of information � Lesson plans more labor intensive

Signs of Addiction to Technology� One cannot do without

� When one cannot stop

� when one chooses an internet or i-tech activity consistently over others

� When there is some form of dismissed, or ignored, repercussion or consequence, interpersonally, scholastically, or professionally

So we’ve identified the problem….

Tools to help reduce addiction

� Being offline at time when you are normally online

� Setting alarms to remind you when it is time to log off

� Setting a schedule for being online and offline

� Avoiding problematic applications

� Reminding self of the bad and good of the internet

� Examining activities are lost due to internet use

Considerations� How many people can multi-task well

� Are we in the process of evolving?

� Stimulus Bound Effect

� Do not present one modality, present many senses at one time. Multi modal multi sensory

� Kids sitting down, backward on chairs, bells, movement with a certain activity, before reading time

� Fidget toy repetitive in nature, if it could be a toy not effective

� Peer support buddy, accountability buddy. Making

� PBIS

� Peer accountability

Resetting Your Brain� Nature break� Looking at beautiful art� Listening to a beautiful song � Exercise� Socializing� Mindfulness� Practicing yoga� Consuming omega-3 fatty acids� Doing puzzles, including Sudoku and crosswords� Coloring

Steps to help stay on task in Class� Metacognition

� Open communication about technology

� Free time Tech breaks

� Responsibility and Accountability

� Decision making

� Balance between experiential and tech learning

� Reframing negative connotations towards technology

� Honor code

3 T’s: Text, Tools, Talk� Text

� Using technology to help students gain situation interest in a topic

� Tools� This helps students make the topic relevant to their own life,

rather than it being situational � i.e. strobe lights versus diorama

� Talk� Helping students see the importance of communication

skills� i.e. you can’t sell a smart phone if you don’t know how to be

social!

Helping students stay on task at home� Step 1: Start with a prioritized task list

� Step 2: Carefully select a work area that will minimize potential distractions

� Step 3: Establish tech breaks

� Step 4: Learn what distracts your mind: Metacognition

� Step 5: Pay attention to your stress level

Focus and Attention in School

If a child’s brain gets habituated to the pace of video media (video games, TV, internet that move fast with rapid scene changes and dazzling colors, shapes and forms) and to the extreme alertness needed to keep

responding and winning, the child ultimately may find the realities of the world underwhelming and under-

stimulating

� Dr. Dimitri Christakis

9835 E. Bell Rd., Ste. 140Scottsdale, AZ 85260

(602) 957-7600www.beljanpsych.com

v.berens@beljanpsych.comc.heinsch@beljanpsych.com

s.bald@beljanpsych.comTwitter@BeljanPsych