Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
1328th Ordinary General Meeting and Open Lecture of the Royal Society of NSW — 4 December 2024
"Social media and smartphones for youth: What’s the story?
Scientia Professor Helen Christensen AO FASSA FAHMS
Professor of Psychiatry and Mental Health, UNSW Sydney and
Honorary Professorial Fellow, The Black Dog Institute
The presentation commences at 01:18
Timing Marks:
00:00:00 Introduction: Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN, President, Royal Society of NSW
00:01:18 Presentation: Professor Helen Christensen
00:33:02 Audience Q&A: moderated by Professor Sally Cripps FRSN, Chair, RSNSW Program Committee
00:58:04 Meeting Close
Summary: Social media has been seen by the public and by some researchers as the root cause of rising mental health problems among young people. The issue, discussed widely in the media, almost unanimously concludes social media is harmful and must be curbed. Technological interventions have historically influenced social norms and societal structures, so it is crucial to take these concerns seriously. In this talk, I will discuss whether social media is the culprit responsible for rising levels of anxiety, depression and self-harm. I’ll also suggest what sort of research we may now need to answer the question definitively, and what might be the range of alternative hypotheses as to the causes or rising youth distress.
Scientia Professor Helen Christensen is a Professor within the Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, a previous Board Director and Executive Director of the Black Dog Institute, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Australia and of the Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.
She is a leading expert on using technology to deliver evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety, suicide, and self-harm. She has received awards for her work including the Innovation NSW Premier’s Prize for Leadership in Innovation in 2017, the Roddy D Brickell Memorial Award from Columbia University in 2014, the ISRII Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, and Suicide Prevention Lifetime Achievement Award. She was made an Officer of Australia for her pioneering work in internet interventions. She serves or has served on many government and scientific committees including the NHMRC Translation Committee, Digital Mental Health Advisory Group, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, and international collaborations. She has published more than 600 research papers, developed more than 15 apps, websites, digital phenotyping applications and research platforms, and led or co-led more than 50 randomised clinical trials.
Professor Christensen is the winder of the 2023 James Cook Medals of the Royal Society of NSW and, most recently, she was named the NSW Scientist of the Year for 2024 at this year’s NSW Premier’s Prizes for Science and Engineering.
1328th Ordinary General Meeting and Open Lecture of the Royal Society of NSW — 4 December 2024
"Social media and smartphones for youth: What’s the story?
Scientia Professor Helen Christensen AO FASSA FAHMS
Professor of Psychiatry and Mental Health, UNSW Sydney and
Honorary Professorial Fellow, The Black Dog Institute
The presentation commences at 01:18
Timing Marks:
00:00:00 Introduction: Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN, President, Royal Society of NSW
00:01:18 Presentation: Professor Helen Christensen
00:33:02 Audience Q&A: moderated by Professor Sally Cripps FRSN, Chair, RSNSW Program Committee
00:58:04 Meeting Close
Summary: Social media has been seen by the public and by some researchers as the root cause of rising mental health problems among young people. The issue, discussed widely in the media, almost unanimously concludes social media is harmful and must be curbed. Technological interventions have historically influenced social norms and societal structures, so it is crucial to take these concerns seriously. In this talk, I will discuss whether social media is the culprit responsible for rising levels of anxiety, depression and self-harm. I’ll also suggest what sort of research we may now need to answer the question definitively, and what might be the range of alternative hypotheses as to the causes or rising youth distress.
Scientia Professor Helen Christensen is a Professor within the Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, a previous Board Director and Executive Director of the Black Dog Institute, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Australia and of the Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.
She is a leading expert on using technology to deliver evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety, suicide, and self-harm. She has received awards for her work including the Innovation NSW Premier’s Prize for Leadership in Innovation in 2017, the Roddy D Brickell Memorial Award from Columbia University in 2014, the ISRII Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, and Suicide Prevention Lifetime Achievement Award. She was made an Officer of Australia for her pioneering work in internet interventions. She serves or has served on many government and scientific committees including the NHMRC Translation Committee, Digital Mental Health Advisory Group, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, and international collaborations. She has published more than 600 research papers, developed more than 15 apps, websites, digital phenotyping applications and research platforms, and led or co-led more than 50 randomised clinical trials.
Professor Christensen is the winder of the 2023 James Cook Medals of the Royal Society of NSW and, most recently, she was named the NSW Scientist of the Year for 2024 at this year’s NSW Premier’s Prizes for Science and Engineering.
