New Research on Mental Health and Entertainment Franchises

CSS conducted two studies investigating how the popular teen-targeted show 13 Reasons Why may affect adolescent mental health. The results are published TODAY in the Media & Teen Mental Health Report. Funded by Melinda French Gates Pivotal Ventures and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Technology and Adolescent Mental Wellness program, our findings demonstrate that challenging and realistic stories inspire youth to learn more about mental health. Read the UCLA press release and in Deadline.

Download the Media and Teen Mental Health Report

EVENTS


Don’t miss the premiere of our new Teens are Watching series. Head over to our Facebook and YouTube pages TOMORROW on May 25th at 5:00 pm PDT to hear our teens discuss the portrayal of mental health in TV, movies, and digital media.


In partnership with Starz, brand new CSS research was released this month. Our founder, Dr. Yalda T. Uhls, discussed the findings in the STARZ #TakeTheLead Transparency Talks: Consumer Demand for Diverse Representation. Our STARZ Audience Report, showing nationwide demand for representation in media, was featured in Deadline. You can watch the conversation here.

RECENT FEATURES

The Mental Health Storytelling Coalition is a group of leading media companies and experts. coming together to tackle how mental health is portrayed in entertainment. Check out their Mental Health Media Guide a resource for content creators

We anonymously gathered questions from teens across the country to be answered by a mental health professional. Maryam Kia-Keating, Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Psychology at UCSB provided some thoughtful answers in our latest blog.

This episode comes from a conversation on Clubhouse about The Social Dilemma and how social media affects youth. You can download it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Check out this video produced by Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls about the importance of accurate mental health portrayals on-screen.

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Bridging the gap between scholars and storytellers to support positive youth development.