Clark University’s Dr. Nadia Ward on Youth Mental Health, Social Media, and School-Based Support in Southbridge

Dr. Nadia Ward discusses youth mental health, reducing social media use, and Clark University’s school-based interventions in Southbridge Public Schools.

By Hank Stolz | Radio Worcester

(Photo-Adobe Stock)

WORCESTER, Mass.-Dr. Nadia Ward is the director of the Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise at Clark University. The institute is committed to supporting the behavioral health journey of young adults and adolescents, with a focus on developing comprehensive school mental health programs. Speaking with Hank Stolz on the Talk of the Commonwealth, Ward discussed the use of cell phones and how social media affects young people. “What we learned over the course of this wonderful opportunity doing this peer support group with them is that when they limited their smartphone usage, they told us they actually felt better. They actually felt better. They were able to focus more, they slept better. They were able to engage in social activities in the way that was a little bit more healthy for them.” The institute is working with the Southbridge Public Schools to implement three primary interventions: a social-emotional learning program, a mobile app for coordinating wraparound services, and the creation of sensory immersion rooms to help students regulate their emotions and get back to learning. The sensory immersion rooms are designed to provide a calming and therapeutic environment for students who may be overwhelmed, allowing counselors to work with them to get them back on track. “Sometimes young people come to school after having experienced some sort of an event that’s got them upset or perhaps something in school that happens to them. And so what we’ve done is partnered with an occupational therapist and the counseling team, and we’ve kind of sat down together determine what might we do to create a sensory profile for Nadia, for example, what are the things that we know that she can share with us that allow her to engage in kind of a peaceful state?” Dr. Ward had this advice for parents, “We know that quality time is everything, so take some time, sit with that young person, listen deeply to what it is that they’re sharing, and then leverage some of the tools that you can find.”

This article was sourced from a transcript of a recent interview conducted by Hank Stolz on the Radio Worcester program Talk of the Commonwealth.