"Looking at other people's posts often make me feel bad about the way I look."

Gen Z - 31%
Millennials - 30%
Generation X - 20%
Boomers - 4%

"Looking at other people's posts often makes me feel bad about the lack of excitement in my own life."

Gen Z - 39%
Millennials - 34%
Generation X - 24%
Boomers - 8%

"I have experienced bullying on social media."

Gen Z - 33%
Millennials - 29%
Generation X - 20%
Boomers - 12%

A full third of Generation Z seems to be emotionally impacted in some way by the thousands of posts they are viewing online. It doesn't seem foolish to assume that these students might easily make their way from "feeling down" about what they see online, to experiencing depression and anxiety (both of which are  on the rise among teens). Today's teens work constantly to make sure that they keep up with their friends online. In fact, a full 26% of them  tell us that they spend the equivalent of a full time job on social media sites every day.

This information may feel like nothing new to you. You probably don't need me to tell you your students are on their phones all the time. The difference is not that we know they are on their screens, it's that each new study released paints a more and more dire picture of the internal challenges today's teens are facing. According to this research, a member of Gen X and a member of Gen Z could spend the same amount of time on social media and the Gen Z student would walk away feeling more inferior and possibly more depressed. It's a reality we need to understand if we are to lead today's students well.