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"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Children between the ages of 8 and 18 spend over 7 \u00BD hours a day using media outside of school, according to the &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://kff.org/other/event/generation-m2-media-in-the-lives-of/&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Kaiser Family Foundation&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Laptops, game consoles, smartphones and TVs provide constant entertainment in almost any environment.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;For many teens, face-to-face communication has been largely replaced by text messages and social media. You don\u2019t have to look very far to witness this phenomenon first-hand. Look around at any restaurant, sporting event, or community activity and you\u2019ll likely see teens\u2014and often adults\u2014opting to use digital devices over interacting with those around them.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Research shows that all that technology use may be taking a toll. Exchanging emoticons, rather than facial expressions could be harming your teen\u2019s social skills.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Study Shows Technology Reduces Teens\u2019 Ability to Read Emotions&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Reading other people\u2019s emotions is a vital social skill that enables teens to recognize how someone else is feeling. Understanding emotional cues gives teens the ability to recognize when someone is annoyed, bored, or upset.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Many emotions are conveyed nonverbally. A person\u2019s facial expressions and body posture are just a few of the ways a listener can gain insight into how someone is feeling.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Teens who have their faces buried behind screens may be damaging their ability to recognize nonverbal emotional cues, according to a &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/in-our-digital-world-are-young-people-losing-the-ability-to-read-emotions&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;study conducted by researchers at UCLA&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Researchers asked 11 to 13 year olds to identify the emotional expressions of others. Then, half the group was sent to an outdoor camp for five days without access to technology. The other participants continued with their normal screen time.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;After five days without technology, participants\u2019 ability to read other people\u2019s emotions improved, compared to the participants who continued using their digital devices. Researchers concluded that the campers\u2019 face-to-face interactions over the course of five days improved their ability to recognize social cues.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Sharpen Your Teen\u2019s Social Skills&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Although the study shows just how damaging technology can be to a teen\u2019s social skills, the good news a short break from digital devices can prove very useful. Here are some steps you can take to sharpen your teen\u2019s social skills in the digital era:&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;1. &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/strategies-limit-your-teens-screen-time-2608915&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Limit your teen\u2019s screen time&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;Most experts recommend no more than two hours of screen time per day, but smartphones make time limits a little more complicated. Establish clear limits on TV, laptops, and games. And speak up when you see your teen\u2019s nose buried in a smartphone for an extended period of time.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;2. Establish technology-free days. &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;The study showed how just a few days away from technology can make a big difference to a teen\u2019s emotional intelligence. While you may not want to go a whole week without technology, unplugging for a day at a time could prove helpful. Choose to make Saturdays technology-free or turn off your internet during school vacations.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;3. Be a good role model. &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;If you\u2019re always on your phone or your laptop\u2014even if it\u2019s for work-related purposes\u2014you\u2019ll send the wrong message to your teen. Be a good role model by limiting your screen time as well.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;4. Create clear rules with technology. &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;Most teens aren\u2019t able to handle free reign with their digital devices, so it\u2019s important to establish rules that will help your teen establish healthy practices. For example, &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/teen-shouldnt-sleep-smartphone-2608916&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;don\u2019t allow your teen to sleep near a smartphone&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;5. Get your teen involved in a variety of social activities. &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;Turning off electronics is only half the battle. Teens also need face-to-face interaction to practice their social skills. Encourage your teen to participate in a variety of sports, clubs, and community activities that involve social interaction. &amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.verywell.com/does-technology-damage-teens-emotional-intelligence-2608933>