Social media platforms are integral to the lives of most children and adolescents. Teenagers find it difficult to give up social media, but a study highlighted in the 2021 Surgeon General’s Advisory found that daily social media use is associated with a 44% rate of moderate to severe depressive symptoms among teenagers and young adults. Despite this, 43% of that same population report that social media helps them feel better when anxious or depressed, indicating social media can provide avenues for connection and interaction that some find helpful or fulfilling. There is also increased access to other technologies, such as smartphones, video games, and internet, which have similarly been shown to increase risk for mental health disorders. This session will help psychiatric pharmacists better understand social media/technology prevalence in pediatric populations, assess its impact on mental health, and strategize ways to combat its potential harms.
Target Audience
If you are a pharmacist, nurse practitioner, or other health care professional involved in the comprehensive medication management of individuals living with mental health and/or substance use disorders, we invite you to participate in this online course.
Course Requirements
To receive ACPE credit for this session, you must:
- Register for this course.
- Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings.
- Complete the evaluation at the end of the activity.
- Provide the necessary details in your profile to ensure correct reporting by AAPP to CPE Monitor.
Faculty Information
View biographical information
Yolanda Evans, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington
Dr. Yolanda Evans is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington. She was born and raised in Anchorage, AK and completed undergraduate studies receiving a BS in Biology at the University of Alaska Anchorage and medical doctorate from Oregon Health Sciences University. After completing residency in Pediatrics at the University of Washington, she completed a fellowship in Adolescent Medicine and MPH at the University of WA. Dr. Evans has served a number of roles including Director of Telemedicine at Seattle Children's Hospital, Division of Adolescent Medicine Clinical Director, and Medical Director for the Adolescent Outpatient Eating Disorders Clinic. In 2023, she became the Head of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at UW. In 2012, she started a telehealth consultation clinic with Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and continues to offer clinical care for youth around issues related to reproductive health, contraception, & eating disorders. She co-authored a Seattle Children's Hospital sponsored blog, teenology101, that offered anticipatory guidance to parents of adolescents for over 8 years. Her research includes using technology and social media to improve access to safe, reliable health care for adolescents. In 2024, she became an Ambassador for the AAP's Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and traveling with her husband and 3 kids.
Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures
Activity Dates: 10/03/2025 - 10/03/2028
ACPE Contact Hours: 1.25
ACPE Number: 0284-0000-25-031-H01-P (Application)
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE credit is accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal and AANPCB advanced practice provider content. For specific questions related to your organization's acceptance of ACPE continuing education units, please contact your organization directly.
The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
AAPP owns the copyright, is licensed or has received permissions for use of, or is otherwise permitted to use copyrighted materials within any CPE activity. Authors and speakers are required to obtain necessary copyright permissions for content in CPE activities. AAPP complies with copyright laws and regulations.
View disclaimer and disclosure of off-label use
Off-Label Use: This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA (see faculty information). The opinions expressed in the educational activity do not necessarily represent the views of AAPP and any educational partners. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Disclaimer: Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
View fair balance and integrity statement
It is the policy of AAPP to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in continuing education activities. Those involved in the development of this continuing education activity have made all reasonable efforts to ensure that information contained herein is accurate in accordance with the latest available scientific knowledge at the time of accreditation of this continuing education activity. Information regarding drugs (e.g., their administration, dosages, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, special warnings, and precautions) and drug delivery systems is subject to change, however, and the reader is advised to check the manufacturer’s package insert for information concerning recommended dosage and potential problems or cautions prior to dispensing or administering the drug or using the drug delivery systems.
Fair balance is achieved through ongoing and thorough review of all materials produced by faculty, and all educational and advertising materials produced by supporting organizations, prior to educational offerings. Approval of credit for this continuing education activity does not imply endorsement by AAPP for any product or manufacturer identified.