Say Goodbye to Your Kid’s Imaginary Friend
New York Times April 16, 2025
NSCA member Jacqueline Nesi is interviewed in a New York Times op-ed about how AI chatbots might affect young people by taking key peer roles, and why we should consider regulation backed by lawmakers and research. In the article, Nesi suggests that more research is needed on how these new technologies affect young people specifically, and these results may help us better tailor and scaffold their experiences with them.
Recent News
May 22, 2026
NSCA member Candice Odgers was quoted in a New York Times article about the new screen time warning issued by the Surgeon General. Although the warning linked excessive time online to worse sleep issues, anxiety, depression, alcohol use, and other health harms, experts say the research is more nuanced. “Much of the existing research does not suggest that social media use is a major predictor of whether a child will develop mental health issues,” said Candice. Rather, she said, “it suggests that children who are already struggling with mental health or other issues are more likely to spend time online.”
May 15, 2026
In this video, our co-executive directors, Andrew J. Fuligni and Adriana Galván, explore “The Opportunity of Adolescence” and share the science behind why adolescence is an important window of opportunity and plasticity where investments and science-informed supports can help set our young people up for thriving futures.
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