Navigating technology and mental health

There’s no denying it – technology is everywhere. It’s in classrooms, playgrounds, and in the home. But what does that mean for our mental health?  How does it affect young people’s development and well-being, and how can we help them navigate the digital world safely?

Here at the Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions, these are questions we’re excited to answer. If you were at the eMHIC Congress this year, you’ll remember our approach to safe tech use for young people is “balance and purpose” because technology offers so many wonderful things:

• It provides ways to connect with friends, family, and community near and far.
• It offers tools for creativity and self-expression.
• It can support innovative breakthroughs in mental health service delivery.

But technology use doesn’t come without risk, just like many other things in life. What matters most is how and why children and young people use technology, not just how long they use it for.

Is technology good or bad for mental health?

Technology can offer many benefits for young people, but it can also come with risks to mental health and well-being, including mental health problems, eating disorders, social isolation, normalized violence, and sleep deprivation. You can find more on these digital harms in our resource Young people in the digital era: Understanding risks and promoting well-being.

Understanding the negative effects that technology can have on young people’s mental health and well-being, the more we see a need for a harm reduction approach.

• A recent study found that limiting social media use to just one hour a day led to a significant reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms among young people facing emotional distress.

Technology isn’t inherently good or bad. Any form of technology comes with both benefits and setbacks. From our research, we know that the impact of technology entirely depends on how it’s being used.

How does technology affect development and well-being?

The way children and young people use technology – and the benefits and challenges that come with it – changes as they get older. That means the kind of support they need also looks different at each age and stage of life. 

• Birth to age 6: children learn and thrive when interacting face-to-face with adults and through off-screen play time. For both children and caregivers, technology use should complement, not replace, these crucial face-to-face interactions.
• Age 7-12: children are establishing their own relationship with technology. From watching tv to exploring video games and social media (despite platform age restrictions). Caregivers are responsible for setting limits on and controlling their children’s access to technology, while also modelling healthy technology use.
• Age 13-18: teens’ technology use is predominantly centred around mobile devices, especially as peer and romantic relationships become more important. Caregivers and service providers can help teach digital literacy skills.
• Age 19-25: young people’s lives are intertwined with technology, from socializing to entertainment to online learning and remote work. Service providers, and caregivers, can continue to promote healthy technology use through harm reduction approaches and enhancing digital literacy. 

Dive into all the details in our resource, Technology use: Early years to transition years

How can children and young people safely navigate the digital world?

We need to help young people, and ourselves, build digital resilience.

Digital resilience is the ability to cope effectively with challenges faced in online environments. It involves having essential social, emotional, and digital skills to manage risks while using technology.

Digital resilience can improve self-awareness and critical thinking skills. It helps individuals make responsible decisions to protect their well-being. Those with robust digital resilience are better equipped to: 

• Make strong choices for their own health and well-being.
• Handle difficult content and situations. 
• Take the time and actions necessary to fully recover from challenging or harmful online experiences. 

According to the Digital Resilience Framework from the UK Council for Internet Safety, there are four essential elements to developing digital resilience:

• One: Understanding a risk is present
• Two: Knowing how to get help
• Three: Learning from experience
• Four: Recovering with appropriate support

Find all the details on promoting digital resilience in our resource Young people in the digital era: Understanding risks and promoting well-being.

At the Knowledge Institute, we work alongside mental health and substance use health agencies and other partners across Ontario to mobilize evidence, strengthen knowledge and skills, and accelerate system change. We’re also working to bridge research, practice, and lived experience to help service providers, schools, and parents respond to digital opportunities and challenges in children’s mental health. We are also excited about upcoming work in 2026 on an Artificial Intelligence resource series and a new collaboration on a digital media use resource so be sure to stay tuned. Learn more about our projects on our website and reach out if you see an opportunity to work together for a better future.