Growing Up Online: Emotional Domino Effects in Gen Z & Gen Alpha

Presenter: Dr. Barasha Saharia (Jorhat Medical College & Hospital, India)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation (Virtual)
Title: Growing up online: how the new digital playground creates emotional domino effects in Gen Z & Gen Alpha

🔬 Presentation Highlights
∙ Focus: Understanding the impact of the rapidly evolving digital environment on the emotional development of children and adolescents.
∙ Digital Exposure: Nearly 96% of 15-year-olds have access to digital devices at home and 98% own a smartphone, indicating the widespread influence of technology in youth development.
∙ Early Smartphone Use: Around 70% of ten-year-olds already own smartphones, with significant variation across countries.
∙ Online Engagement: Many adolescents spend over 30 hours per week online, highlighting the growing role of digital media in daily life.
∙ Problematic Use: Studies reveal that 1 in 8 girls and 1 in 13 boys (aged 11–15) show signs of problematic social media use.
∙ Mental Health Impact: Excessive digital engagement is associated with anxiety, depression, body image concerns, poor sleep, cognitive decline, and academic challenges.
∙ Key Mechanisms: The presentation explores algorithmic reinforcement, social comparison, and digital communication norms as drivers of emotional and behavioral changes.
∙ Clinical Relevance: Provides insights for mental health professionals to develop prevention strategies, clinical interventions, and policy frameworks for child and adolescent wellbeing in the digital era.

👩‍⚕️ About the Speaker
Dr. Barasha Saharia is a Consultant Psychiatrist and De-Addiction Specialist currently practicing at Jorhat Medical College & Hospital, India.
∙ Author of several international, national, and state-level publications.
∙ Research interests include addiction psychiatry, sleep medicine, and child & adolescent mental health.
∙ Actively participates in national conferences, presenting symposia and research work.
∙ Recipient of multiple awards for paper and poster presentations at national and state-level academic conferences.
∙ Dedicated to advancing research and clinical practice in addiction psychiatry and youth mental health.

🔗 Join the Conference
Event: International Conference on Addiction Medicine, Mental Health and Psychiatry
📅 March 23–25, 2026
📍 Singapore & Online

🌐 Event Website: https://addiction.miconferences.com/
📝 Submit Abstract: https://addiction.miconferences.com/abstract-submission
🎟 Register Here: https://addiction.miconferences.com/register

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