Therapist Training Series: Social Rituals of True Digital Natives

Being culturally competent in the mental health field involves understanding cultural values, awareness of potential biases, and the use of effective strategies to increase one’s cultural knowledge and humility while being empirically grounded.^{5, 6}

Four aspects of cultural humility are especially useful to working with true digital natives.

1. Cultural humility asks that we consider the ‘other’ an expert in their own experiences.

It can be especially tempting to assume we are the experts when working with teenagers and kids.

We have more life experience and, as therapists, we have the added assurance of our various specializations. Younger therapists might believe they’re close enough in age to require little in the way of cultural learning.

But even the youngest clinicians today can remember a time before social media. Not so with our true digital natives. Since before they were born, the mainstream of society socialized online.

We know what it’s like to be teenagers. But we don’t know what it’s like to experience that time in a way that is public and open for commentary.

Perhaps more interestingly, we don’t understand the social structures that true digital natives are forming for themselves.

As we adults disregard the digital spaces where they relate to one another, we miss out on this fascinating new culture unfolding in real time.

2. Cultural humility requires knowledge of history.

As adults, we must remember that all the technological advancements that have become a part of our everyday lives were mainstreamed before today’s teens and tweens were born. Or at least before they were old enough to understand there was a world outside of them.

We should understand that the immediacy, publicness, and lack of physical limitations inherent in internet technology can affect people’s perceptions of reasonableness or appropriateness. And realize we don’t know what that affect might be for young minds still developing.

3. Cultural humility requires continual reflection on our own beliefs.

As we age, our concept of time speeds up and we can quickly fall behind while still believing we’re in touch with the current reality. It’s our duty to investigate whether our beliefs and memories of adolescence reflect the reality of most contemporary teens and tweens.

Do we understand how many hours a day kids and teens are online just to attend class and receive and complete homework assignments?

Have we ever been dismissive, or brushed past mentions of social media or relationships made online?

How familiar are we with the tools and applications teens and kids use to communicate and the logistical implications they impose on their relationships?

Have we made room at the table for teens when discussing the possibility of parents monitoring their activity online or their location through GPS applications?

Do we assume children have no opinion about their parents posting about them on social media?

4. Cultural humility requires reflection on our profession

How relevant are mental health services to the teens, tweens, and kids we seek to serve? Do we have an active online presence in the spaces they frequent, or do we expect them to find our websites?

Do we communicate with our clients via text, or do we expect them to email or leave us a voicemail? (Two platforms considered inefficient and overly formal by today’s youth.)

Are we trained on the applications where most socializing occurs? Do we have a solid grasp of how teens, tweens and children interact in these spaces?

Are we informed about the ways that technology can be misused against youth and teens in cases of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking?

5. Cultural humility is ongoing

Soon, true digital natives will outnumber the rest of us.

Unless we keep ourselves informed by asking questions on an ongoing basis and letting them be the experts, we risk having our services becoming irrelevant to this growing population.

In the following sections, we’ll look at why the digital social landscape is different from traditional social environments. As well as provide resources for further study.