This article was co-authored by Jacob Christenson, PhD, LMFT and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Dr. Jacob Christenson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the CEO of Covenant Family Solutions. With more than 20 years of experience, he specializes in substance abuse issues, parenting, medical family therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, and counseling for treatment-resistant adolescents. Dr. Christenson has also been published in many peer-reviewed journals, including Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal and Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. He is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and a Clinical Fellow for the Iowa Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (IAMFT). Dr. Christenson holds a BS in Psychology from California Polytechnic State University, an MS and PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University, and an MBA from The University of the People.
There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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If you find yourself lost when your kids or younger siblings crack jokes or make references, you’re not alone. The kids born between 1997 and 2015 are often referred to as Generation Z.[1] As with most young generations, the adults in their lives often struggle to understand their humor, political views, and plans for the future. However, Gen Z isn’t so different from us, especially if you look at what they’ve been through already in their short lives. If you’d like to understand Gen Z a little bit more, read through these facts to see what this generation is thinking and why they do the things they do.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat are Gen Z problems?Jacob Christenson, PhD, LMFTDr. Jacob Christenson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the CEO of Covenant Family Solutions. With more than 20 years of experience, he specializes in substance abuse issues, parenting, medical family therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, and counseling for treatment-resistant adolescents. Dr. Christenson has also been published in many peer-reviewed journals, including Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal and Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. He is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and a Clinical Fellow for the Iowa Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (IAMFT). Dr. Christenson holds a BS in Psychology from California Polytechnic State University, an MS and PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University, and an MBA from The University of the People.
Licensed Marriage and Family TherapistSince Gen Z was born connected, the internet impact is tremendous, and it's not always positive. This generation has higher rates of depression, anxiety and other disorders that previous generations didn't, for example. -
QuestionHow do you deal with a Generation Z child?Jacob Christenson, PhD, LMFTDr. Jacob Christenson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the CEO of Covenant Family Solutions. With more than 20 years of experience, he specializes in substance abuse issues, parenting, medical family therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, and counseling for treatment-resistant adolescents. Dr. Christenson has also been published in many peer-reviewed journals, including Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal and Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. He is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and a Clinical Fellow for the Iowa Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (IAMFT). Dr. Christenson holds a BS in Psychology from California Polytechnic State University, an MS and PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University, and an MBA from The University of the People.
Licensed Marriage and Family TherapistRemember that every generation is similar. Since this generation is the most plugged-in, though, that gives it a different flavor. The things that older adults often complain about Gen Z are the same things every adult complained about the other generations. Your child probably complains about the same things you complained about your parents, so try to see things from their perspective and work things around. -
QuestionWhat are the biggest problems facing Gen Z?Jacob Christenson, PhD, LMFTDr. Jacob Christenson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the CEO of Covenant Family Solutions. With more than 20 years of experience, he specializes in substance abuse issues, parenting, medical family therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, and counseling for treatment-resistant adolescents. Dr. Christenson has also been published in many peer-reviewed journals, including Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal and Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. He is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor for the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and a Clinical Fellow for the Iowa Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (IAMFT). Dr. Christenson holds a BS in Psychology from California Polytechnic State University, an MS and PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from Brigham Young University, and an MBA from The University of the People.
Licensed Marriage and Family TherapistPast generations didn't really have a lot of access to information. Nowadays, they can get on the internet and find lots of different sources saying that their parents are wrong and why. As a parent, your role is not to confront, but to have better arguments and help your child see that what you're trying to do for them is really in their best interest.
References
- ↑ https://www.synchrony.com/download/2018-Understanding-Generation-Z.pdf
- ↑ https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/14/on-the-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far-2/
- ↑ https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/1118/pages/a-16-year-old-explains-10-things-you-need-to-know-about-generation-z.aspx
- ↑ Jacob Christenson, PhD, LMFT. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2021.
- ↑ https://www.synchrony.com/download/2018-Understanding-Generation-Z.pdf
- ↑ https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/1118/pages/a-16-year-old-explains-10-things-you-need-to-know-about-generation-z.aspx
- ↑ https://www.wgu.edu/blog/who-is-gen-z-how-they-impact-workplace1906.html#close
- ↑ https://theartofeducation.edu/2020/12/14/what-you-need-to-understand-about-generation-z-students/
- ↑ https://www.synchrony.com/download/2018-Understanding-Generation-Z.pdf
- ↑ Jacob Christenson, PhD, LMFT. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2021.
- ↑ https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/1118/pages/a-16-year-old-explains-10-things-you-need-to-know-about-generation-z.aspx
- ↑ Jacob Christenson, PhD, LMFT. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2021.
- ↑ https://theartofeducation.edu/2020/12/14/what-you-need-to-understand-about-generation-z-students/
- ↑ https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/14/on-the-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far-2/
- ↑ Jacob Christenson, PhD, LMFT. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2021.
- ↑ http://culture.affinitymagazine.us/the-isolation-absurdity-of-gen-z-humor/
- ↑ Jacob Christenson, PhD, LMFT. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Expert Interview. 22 October 2021.