61st Annual Meeting

October 18 - 25, 2014

Media Theatre 7 (open)

The Social Network: Pro-Social Behavior and Social–Emotional Intelligence in the Digital Age

Social networking has evolved from a relatively simple means of electronic connection to a more complex network of social communication and community creation. Mental health professional must stay abreast of these evolving technologies and the clinical concerns they raise. The critically acclaimed film, The Social Network, tells the story of how the world’s most popular social networking site, Facebook, came into being and the politics of wresting control of it. The film is a catalyst for discussing social media and its use in the lives of adolescents and transitional-aged-youth. After defining pro-social behavior and social-emotional intelligence, discussion turns to evaluating the extent to which social media can be good for youth; identifying common pitfalls of social media, such as cyberbullying and sexting; and exploring ways youth can maximize using social media constructively and avoid problematic behaviors.