ISKI East Java Urges Vigilance Over Digital Impact on Adolescent Mental Health
Surabaya (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Communication Scholars Association (ISKI) East Java has called on the public to be vigilant about the impact of digital pressure on adolescent mental health, following a series of student suicides and rising device dependency in various parts of Indonesia.
“We live in an era where children and adolescents are digitally connected 24 hours a day, yet often feel emotionally unheard,” said ISKI East Java chairman Dr Suko Widodo in Surabaya on Sunday.
The Universitas Airlangga (Unair) Surabaya communication academic said that digital pressure must become a serious concern for all parties: families, schools, the media, and the government.
He assessed that exposure to social media, online gaming, and excessive device use has complex psychological effects on children and adolescents, necessitating active involvement from various stakeholders to prevent wider consequences.
The phenomenon is also evident at Menur Psychiatric Hospital (RSJ) in Surabaya. According to RSJ Menur data, from January to July 2024 approximately 3,000 children and adolescents underwent therapy for such disorders. The majority were treated for device dependency affecting their behaviour and mental development.
The issue cannot be resolved through clinical treatment alone but must also be examined through the lenses of psychology and communication, as digital addiction is linked to changes in behaviour, social relationships, and emotional processing in children and adolescents.
To that end, ISKI East Java has proposed enhancing digital and emotional literacy in schools and families, early detection of behavioural changes in children, expanding access to mental health services, and a national campaign on the dangers of online gaming addiction and social media pressure.
“Student suicides and the rising number of mental health disorders caused by devices are not merely statistics. This is a reality that demands collective action, not just responses after tragedy strikes,” he said.