• Author:

    Meredith Gansner, MD

  • Level: 

    Foundational

  • CREDIT(S)

    1

  • Video

    1 hour

Teen Depression Gone Viral 

This episode presents an in-depth discussion with Dr. Meredith Gansner on the intersection of adolescent depression and digital media, offering evidence-based insights and actionable strategies for clinicians working with youth and families. Drawing upon her research and recent book, Dr. Gansner examines how social media and high-risk digital behaviors impact diagnosis, symptom presentation, and treatment of depression in teens. The conversation highlights the complexities of digital influence—including social contagion, online risk behaviors, and the nuanced roles of online communities—as well as the limitations of current parental and clinical guidance. Dr. Gansner provides advanced practitioners with tools for evaluating digital media use as part of a thorough assessment, fostering digital literacy and resilience, and engaging families in collaborative, developmentally informed interventions. Practical recommendations are explored for integrating these themes into clinical practice, strengthening ethical decision-making, and supporting youth in navigating a rapidly evolving digital environment.

Course Objectives:

1. Describe the multifaceted ways digital media exposure—including algorithm-driven content and online communities—shapes the presentation, diagnosis, and course of adolescent depression.
2. Apply developmentally appropriate, family-centered interventions to address problematic digital media use, including strategies for parent modeling and collaborative digital habit management. 
3. Develop practical recommendations for psychoeducation, prevention, and ethical decision-making when confronting digital media–related challenges in teen depression. 

Meredith Gansner, MD

Meredith Gansner, MD, is an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and an attending psychiatrist at Boston Children’s Hospital. An award-winning researcher, Dr. Gansner’s work focuses on high-risk digital media use in adolescents and the intersection of digital habits and mental health, particularly teen depression. Her research includes innovations in smartphone-based digital phenotyping and ecological momentary assessment for managing problematic internet behaviors. In addition to her clinical and academic roles, Dr. Gansner is noted for her accessible, evidence-informed writing, including published articles in major outlets and her recent book, Teen Depression Gone Viral, which provides clinical and practical guidance for families and professionals navigating the digital landscape’s impact on youth mental health.
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Psyched to Practice, LLC, is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Psyched to Practice, LLC, maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 


Psyched to Practice, LLC, is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) to offer continuing professional development (CPDs) for school psychologists.  Psyched to Practice, LLC, maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 

Other mental health and education professionals are welcome to attend our webinars, workshops, and courses. Participants will receive a continuing education certificate upon completion. We encourage individuals to consult their respective licensing or accrediting boards to determine eligibility for continuing education credit within their professional field. 

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Psyched to Practice, LLC, is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Psyched to Practice, LLC, maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 

Psyched to Practice, LLC, is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) to offer continuing professional development (CPDs) for school psychologists. Psyched to Practice, LLC, maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 

Other mental health and education professionals are welcome to attend our webinars, workshops, and courses. Participants will receive a continuing education certificate upon completion. We encourage individuals to consult their respective licensing or accrediting boards to determine eligibility for continuing education credit within their professional field.
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