Leveraging Pop Culture and Digital Media

Impact of COVID-19: 

Covid-19 has changed everything for youth, causing social isolation due to lockdown, disrupting their education, and leaving them uncertain about their future. Youth, in particular, have been disproportionately affected by mental health challenges. Youth aged 11 to 17 were more likely than any other group to report experiencing moderate to severe anxiety and depression symptoms during COVID-19.

Statistics: Increased screen time

With lockdown policies in place and many youth spending more time at home, they turned to digital media content for entertainment and social relationships.

• During COVID-19, it was reported that nearly two-fifths of Canadian youth aged 15-24 spent 20 hours or more per week on the Internet.
• 26% of teenagers aged 15 to 24 and 23% of those aged 25 to 34 spend 20 hours or more each week watching online content. Online content consisted of watching movies, TV series, movies, and online social media stuff.
• 73% of youth reported being more likely to play video games during the week and spending 20 hours or more on games (15%).

Many of these figures are still relevant today, with digital media and pop culture content playing a significant role in young people’s lives.

Can Pop Culture Address Issues of Bullying, Mental health and wellbeing?

UCLA researchers discovered that utilizing pop culture content, such as popular television shows, can be an effective strategy for addressing mental health crises and promoting youth’s overall mental health. Teens were found to be motivated to seek information regarding mental health issues after viewing popular story-driven television shows. It further provided them with the courage and inspiration to talk about their mental health with their parents and support networks more openly. Teens connect with television shows that depict real-life experiences that address difficult topics. Shows such as Euphoria and 13 Reasons Why address problems such as trauma, bullying, mental health, and substance abuse, empowering young people. As a result, youth feel seen and heard when they connect with characters facing similar life struggles.

Youth consume digital media at unprecedented rates, with major streaming services and social media platforms playing a significant role in destigmatizing mental health issues.  Incorporating current and relevant popular culture into the classroom can be an effective technique for supporting students. By linking lesson plans to familiar pop culture references, educators can actively engage students and create deep understanding and discussions around mental health.

References

OECD (2017), “How much of a problem is bullying at school?”, PISA in Focus, No. 74, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/728d6464-en.

Statistics Canada. (2024).Digital well-being: the relationship between technology use, mental health and interpersonal relationships. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/22-20-0001/222000012024001-eng.htm

Uhls, Y. T., Felt, L., Wartella, E., & Sanders, A. (2021). Investigating viewership of season 3 of “13 Reasons Why” and the mental wellness of adolescents: partially randomized preference trial. JMIR mental health, 8(9), e25782.