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Screen Deep
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Screen Deep

NewDigital Addiction 101: Signs, Treatment Strategies, and Managing Conflict | Clifford Sussman, MDNovember 11, 2026 · 52 min
Episodes
41
Released
monthly
Latest episode
Nov 11, 2026
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About the podcast

Screen Deep takes aim at decoding young brains and behavior in a digital world. 
Host Kris Perry dives deep with a leading expert in each episode to explore how children and adolescents are affected mentally, physically, and developmentally by digital media use, bringing research and evidence-based perspectives to the essential questions on how to help children thrive today.

Contributors

  • Kris PerryHost

Episodes 41

  1. Digital Addiction 101: Signs, Treatment Strategies, and Managing Conflict | Clifford Sussman, MD

    52 minSeason 1 · Episode 40

    How can a parent know if their child is addicted to screens – and what can they do about it? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry interviews Clifford Sussman, MD, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist …

  2. Do Social Media Child Safety and Content Moderation Features Work? with Laura Edelson, PhD

    45 minSeason 1 · Episode 39

    Most social media platforms provide child safety and content moderation features to help protect young users from harmful content and experiences. Do they work? Will changes required by lawsuits help? On this …

  3. Artificial Intimacy: What Happens When We Turn to AI for Connection? with Sherry Turkle, PhD

    50 minSeason 1 · Episode 38

    Humans of all ages are increasingly relying on AI chatbots as intimate and always-supportive social companions. What are the costs of this reliance on “pretend empathy” when it comes to the development of …

  4. Why the Internet Should be Made Safer for Children - Not the Other Way Around with Baroness Beeban Kidron

    53 minSeason 1 · Episode 37

    The early egalitarian promise of an open and free internet has morphed over the past three decades into an algorithm-driven experience that is designed to addict and extract data and money from adults and …

  5. The False Promise of Tech and AI in Schools with Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD, MEd

    53 minSeason 1 · Episode 36

    Has the widespread use of "educational" technology and AI in schools led to declines in children’s learning outcomes and skill development, rather than promised improvements? In this episode of Screen Deep …

  6. The Costs of Using Devices to Calm Children with Peter Reschke, PhD

    36 minSeason 1 · Episode 35

    The usage of phones and tablets to help calm infants and young children in difficult moments is often effective in the moment – yet how is the development of self-calming skills affected by this common …

  7. The Science of Raising Humans in the Age of AI with Dana Suskind, MD

    46 minSeason 1 · Episode 34

    The rise of AI is often presented as an opportunity to make parenting easier, but what happens when technology begins to replace, rather than support, the human interactions children need most? On this episode …

  8. Influencers and Kids: The Power of Online Personalities | Liselot Hudders, PhD

    39 minSeason 1 · Episode 33

    The rise of influencers has changed the conversation around advertising, marketing, and behavior change in adults as well as children. How do influencers and their sponsored content impact children’s thoughts …

  9. How Toxic Food Marketing Affects Child Health with Kelly Brownell, PhD

    44 minSeason 1 · Episode 32

    Children today are inundated with sophisticated marketing and ads online, particularly for unhealthy foods which can contribute to obesity and other negative health impacts. On this episode of Screen Deep, host …

  10. What Matters for Young Children's Healthy Digital Media Use and Learning? With Rachel Barr, PhD

    44 minSeason 1 · Episode 31

    With Rachel Barr, PhD

    For decades, researchers have studied why babies and young children learn differently from screens than they do from real-world experiences. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by Dr …

  11. Making Social Media Safer: How Lawsuits Are Changing the Game with Matt Bergman

    42 minSeason 1 · Episode 30

    With Matt Bergman

    As courts increasingly examine the impact of social media on young people, new legal approaches are beginning to reshape how responsibility for harms are understood, shifting the focus from content to platform …

  12. Measuring How Screens Change Young Brains with Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus, PhD

    48 minSeason 1 · Episode 29

    With Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus, PhD

    How is digital media use rewiring children’s brains – and how can these impacts be measured? In this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry discusses the latest research on screen use and brain development …

  13. Does Age of Smartphone Ownership Affect Child Health? With Ran Barzilay, MD, PhD

    52 minSeason 1 · Episode 28

    With Ran Barzilay, MD, PhD

    How do online environments shape children’s health and well-being? Which features have the biggest impact, and how can we make sense of the very different ways individual children experience the same digital …

  14. The Costs of Youth Attachment to AI Companions with Pilyoung Kim, PhD

    53 minSeason 1 · Episode 27

    With Pilyoung Kim, PhD

    AI “friends” and companions are increasingly providing children and adolescents with social interactions and perceived “relationships,” despite being a technology that itself has no need for empathy or …

  15. Does AI Help Students Learn? With Adam Dubé, PhD

    47 minSeason 1 · Episode 26

    With Adam Dubé, PhD

    Schools are increasingly deploying AI-powered technologies in classrooms that promise to revolutionize education, yet there is growing concern over the risks to children and adolescents’ learning by doing so …

  16. Are You Real? Ethics of AI Chatbots and Characters for Children with Sonia Tiwari, PhD

    51 minSeason 1 · Episode 25

    With Sonia Tiwari, PhD

    Children are increasingly encountering AI characters for both educational and entertainment purposes, but many of the chatbots and other AI products they interact with are not designed with child development …

  17. How Phones Are Making Us More Lonely and Addicted with Meredith David, PhD

    42 minSeason 1 · Episode 24

    With Meredith David, PhD

    What is the social cost of looking at your phone when in the company of other people? Is smartphone and social media use making us less connected, more lonely, and addicted to the endless videos on our feed? On …

  18. Is My Child Ready for a Smartphone? With Adam Pletter, PsyD

    49 minSeason 1 · Episode 23

    With Adam Pletter, PsyD

    A child’s first smartphone is a modern "rite of passage" and today's parents face a challenging decision – when is the right time? Peer pressure and fear of missing out loom heavily, yet there are …

  19. Phones in Schools? What the Research Says with Abe Flanigan, PhD

    53 minSeason 1 · Episode 22

    With Abe Flanigan, PhD

    Should phones be allowed in the classroom? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry talks with Dr. Abraham Flanigan, an associate professor of educational psychology at Georgia Southern University about …

  20. Ditch the Guilt: Media, Stress, and Parent-Child Relationships with Dr. Lara Wolfers

    39 minSeason 1 · Episode 21

    With Lara Wolfers, PhD

    Parents increasingly recognize how family screen time shapes child development. But that awareness can bring guilt or shame when digital devices creep into daily life. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris …

  21. Cyberbullying, Sexting, and Building Resilience in Youth with Elizabeth Englander, PhD

    53 minSeason 1 · Episode 20

    Social development for today’s youth often includes navigating online social cruelty, such as cyberbullying and non-consensual sexting. On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry is joined by cyberbullying …

  22. Early Childhood Mental Health and Screen Use with Joan Luby, MD

    41 minSeason 1 · Episode 19

    With Joan Luby, MD

    Many people think of mental health disorders as arising later in childhood or adolescence. However, there is increasing evidence that even young children can experience mental health problems like anxiety and …

  23. Children's Rights in Digital Safety and Design with Sonia Livingstone

    50 minSeason 1 · Episode 18

    From parent and school restrictions on smartphone use to the design of the latest AI tools, what does it mean to center children’s own perspectives and rights in ensuring safety in their online worlds? On this …

  24. Reading and Writing Skills in the Age of AI with Naomi Baron, PhD

    55 minSeason 1 · Episode 17

    How are screen-based reading and writing, along with the growing use of generative AI by youth, shaping children’s development of foundational literacy skills? On this episode of Screen Deep, host Kris Perry …

  25. Social Media, Anxiety, and Emotion Regulation in Teens with Sarah Myruski, PhD

    50 minSeason 1 · Episode 16

    The relationship between social media use and adolescent mental health issues like anxiety is complex, and researchers continue to probe the mechanisms and causalities that may be involved in this relationship …

  26. The Science of Boredom with James Danckert, PhD

    46 minSeason 1 · Episode 15

    Boredom is a common and frequently misunderstood psychological state for adults and children alike. On this episode, host Kris Perry goes deep with leading boredom researcher James Danckert, PhD, a Professor of …

  27. Assessing Child Readiness for Tech with Jenny Radesky, MD

    1 h 2 minSeason 1 · Episode 14

    Parents and caregivers today face what can feel like momentous and fraught decisions about how and when to introduce new technology to children — whether that be an iPad for a toddler or a smartphone for a …

  28. AI's Impact on Children's Social and Cognitive Development with Ying Xu, PhD

    50 minSeason 1 · Episode 13

    Rapid advances in artificial intelligence systems continue to be deployed rapidly for use in commonly available tools online. How do today’s AI technologies affect children’s development? Will accessible AI …

  29. Neurodivergent Children and Media Use with Meryl Alper, PhD

    50 minSeason 1 · Episode 12

    Neurodivergent children’s relationships with technology is subject to many common myths and misconceptions: Does digital media use cause ADHD? Do children with autism have more affinity for screens? In this …

  30. Harmful Social Media Algorithms and Children with Imran Ahmed

    50 minSeason 1 · Episode 11

    Social media platforms are feeding youth harmful content—fast. From hate speech to pro-eating disorder posts and disinformation, powerful algorithms push dangerous content straight to children. But why? And …

These are the latest 40 of 41 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.

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