"Across time and generations, elders have often bemoaned with exasperation, 'Kids today!' As a quintessential 'baby boomer,' I often hear same-aged peers complain about youth (e.g., those born between the late 1990s and early 2000s). While developmental psychologists eschew using broad labels to describe large generational cohorts (i.e., the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha), these labels tend to stick and become integrated into our cultural narrative, evoking common associations and perceptions."
"To this end, I would like to reflect a bit on young people who make up Gen Z and Gen Alpha-youth who are presently in their teens and 20s-from three distinct perspectives: clinical trial research, psychotherapy practice, and the college classroom."
Across generations, elders have criticized youth, with contemporary complaints focusing on cellphone and social media use among Gen Z and Gen Alpha. However, developmental psychologists caution against broad generational labels despite their cultural persistence. Clinical research, psychotherapy practice, and classroom observations reveal valuable insights from today's young people. A researcher with 20+ years of experience in suicide-focused treatment research (CAMS) works with suicidal young adults, college students, and teens using assessment tools like the Suicide Status Form. These clinical perspectives demonstrate that youth possess meaningful voices and deserve forums for expression rather than judgment.
#generational-perspectives #youth-mental-health #clinical-research #suicide-prevention #intergenerational-understanding
Read at Psychology Today
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