Recognizing and Addressing the Seismic Shift in Child Psychosocial and Emotional Wellbeing: Technological Implications and Recommendations for the Current and Future Social Realities of Twenty-First Century Children

Abstract

There are new realities of the modern age that can directly and indirectly implicate the current and future psychosocial development and emotional wellbeing of children. The following discussion in this article emanates from the common position of both authors who recognize a seismic shift in the lives of children has occurred. Both authors hold the position that the social realities of children have changed and continue to change. At the core of this shift lies an advance in technology; a technological advance so fluid, which has effectively rapidly disseminated into society and transformed children’s social realities. In this article, the realities of the psychological and emotional wellbeing concerns of children will be discussed, in addition to the implications of the new social realities for children, with a specific focus on technological advances, educational and parental implications. Finally, recommendations will be presented for addressing the seismic shift that has occurred in the social realities of children. The objective of this article is to therefore recognize the seismic shift and to offer recommendations to facilitate positive psychosocial and educational developmental pathways for the current and future social realities of twenty-first century children.