That’s a lot of rapid-fire, non-face-toface communicating. For teenagers this can be especially tricky, expecially once you add in an adolescent’s proclivity for impulsivity—makes it a little easier to understand how they can land themselves in the world of sexting and cyber-bullying pretty fast. “Adolescents are biologically more prone to making decisions that are not well thought out,” says Tristan Gorrindo, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital. “The part of the brain right behind the forehead, which controls judgment, is at that time undergoing a rapid period of development,” says Gorrindo, who is studying the way families use technology. Gorrindo has created a practice called W.A.I.T. designed with teenagers in mind (but perfect for anyone living in today’s digital world). Here are 4 questions to ask yourself before you post: W = Wide Audience “Would I say this in front of a school assembly?” A = Affect “Am I in a good emotional place right now?” I = Intent “Might my intent be misunderstood?” T = Today “Today, tomorrow, or the next day? Can this wait a day?” Evaluating the urgency of what we’re about to say can provide a helpful injection of perspective. Why is it so urgent? What will happen if I wait? And if I wait, might I feel differently about it later? This article also appeared in the December 2013 issue of Mindful magazine.
