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Start date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 |
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End date: Friday, May 8, 2026 |
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Mode of Instruction: In Person |
Course Description:
Is there a mental health crisis among adolescents and young adults? If so, what societal, familial, and individual forces account for this decline? If not, what accounts for the popular interpretation? Students will consider the influence of societal changes -- rapid rise in screen and social media use, emphasis on academic achievement, movement from free play to organized adult driven play, and the role of the pandemic-- on physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development, and peer and family relationships. Students will consider how societal pressures may have altered developmental processes, potentially contributing to rising rates of anxiety, depression, ADHD, self-harm, and suicide among adolescents. Using multiple forms of inquiry, and applying developmental theory, and psychological, neuroscientific and epidemiological research, we will investigate the correlates to the apparent decline in adolescent mental and physical health. Through discussion of peer reviewed literature, case studies, observation, and interviews, students will compare and contrast popular opinion to evidence-based data trends and consider the validity of causal explanations. Students will identify and propose points of intervention and policy reform.
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