> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://danielstedman.gitbook.io/pressto/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://danielstedman.gitbook.io/pressto/the-positive-effects-of-cbt-and-media-literacy.md). # The Positive Effects of CBT and Media Literacy Daniel Stedman. December, 2021 **Abstract** Children have unrestricted access across the internet as a result of technological advancements in the past few decades. Many sites, such as Youtube Kids, allow parents to control access to unsuitable material. It is more important than ever to teach kids to understand and evaluate what they are consuming and, furthermore, to be considerate about what they are creating. As part of the education process, students must be taught to understand their emotions while simultaneously learning mandatory subjects. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that assists individuals in developing and maintaining a healthy mindset using simple methods to rethink any misperceptions or negative thoughts and their associated undesirable behaviors. CBT has demonstrated positive results within the classroom setting, and students can be introduced to CBT basics seamlessly and intuitively. Pressto is an online tool that promotes media literacy and critical thinking by embedding Cognitive Behavior Techniques (CBT) to provide a foundation for students to engage in healthy thinking which enhances their ability to succeed in school, careers, and life. **CBT 101** Promoting mental health and well-being for children and young people has become increasingly important. Automated thoughts that are often fueled by our first emotional reaction determine how we behave or feel (Kopala-Sibley & Santor, 2009). Therefore, negative situations and perspectives can often lead to an unhealthy downward spiral of anger and anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be used at any point in our daily lives to modify how we think, behave, and feel. Sometimes our automatic reaction to something is not always rational, and it results in distorted thoughts or opinions, which can change our perception of things. CBT helps you identify more realistic ways of thinking, resulting in more rational behavior. (Butler et al., 2006) CBT has also been shown to be an effective intervention for adult and pediatric mental health disorders (Sigurvinsdóttir et al., 2020). This is why CBT can play an essential role in promoting emotional well-being in a school setting. We are constantly faced with situations that cause us to react differently, whether it was something that someone else did to upset us or something we did to cause it. We can break the cycle by taking a moment to rationalize our thoughts and re-evaluating the best way to behave or feel moving forward. An easy way to remember CBT is by using S.T.O.P.P. - a technique that summarizes how it works in a nutshell. **Stop:** Pause for a moment and realize that you are reacting to a trigger. This pause helps to disconnect your initial feelings from proceeding thoughts. **Take a breath:** Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. As you breathe in and out, pay attention to your breathing. Breathing slowly allows you to calm down from initial reactions that might distort further thinking. **Observe:** Be aware of what you’re feeling and what’s on your mind. Analyze your thoughts and your emotional reactions. Is it rational or impulsive? **Pull back - put in some perspective:** Look at the situation as an outside observer and challenge your thoughts. Is there another perspective? Is your reaction in proportion to the actual event? What are other ways that you could think about the situation? Look at the bigger picture. **Practice what works - Proceed:** Consider the most appropriate and helpful response for you, others, or the situation. Here is your chance to choose a healthier and more positive reaction. It is beneficial to consider that your initial instinct isn’t always right, and there might be better options once you have paused to assess the situation from multiple perspectives thoroughly. **CBT and K12 Education** Cognitive learning is the typical standard of learning taught in countries like the United States, where students seek logical facts and knowledge, separate from emotions (Beane, 1986). From our research, we’ve come across an educational curriculum called Affective Education. Affective Education refers to the study of students’ findings, beliefs, attitudes, and emotions as they relate to interpersonal relationships and social skills. It is typically categorized differently from cognitive learning, the basis of traditional academia. Affective education does not mean dismantling the traditional education systems that focus on learning and understanding school subjects logically. Instead, it emphasizes students’ emotional and social behaviors and cognitive learning as a whole. Through Pressto's online platform, users are guided towards healthy thinking skills that can be applied to any context while teaching this affective or emotional side of learning. Feelings of stress can result in increased vulnerability to psychological disorders or an impaired immune response later in life (Weyandt et al., 2020). Pressto emphasizes healthy thinking skills such as recognizing your feelings and how they can affect your thoughts, sometimes negatively. CBT helps students to realize that they have control over their behaviors. Students who are taught how to use CBT when faced with negative emotions and thoughts are better equipped to handle difficult situations in positive ways. Media is consumed daily by kids and adults alike. Kids need to learn how to consume media in healthy ways so that they don’t believe everything they read or watch on social media. Pressto targets media literacy not only in school but also in life. The CBT skills that students learn are beneficial for many aspects of life, or at least if it involves the human mind! It can be used during social interactions with teachers, peers, and family, in person, or on social media. By teaching kids healthier ways of thinking, like how to examine and understand how emotions can affect their thoughts, CBT can be used to help kids choose more rational behaviors and think less negative thoughts (Butler et al., 2006). By using Pressto as a tool to express their voices, kids can learn the power they have to raise awareness about a cause that is important to them. Using Pressto as a platform to give kids a voice is incredibly important as it can empower them to raise awareness about something important to them. It can help them understand the media that they are absorbing every day, from advertisements to Instagram posts to viral videos, with a critical eye and from the perspective of someone trying to reach an audience (NAMLE, 2019). Giving kids a chance to self-publish encourages them to strive to be good journalists by actively looking for facts, evidence, and meaningful stories. Pressto provides a unique opportunity to give students a platform where their voices can be heard. By promoting healthy behaviors using CBT techniques, students learn thinking skills that help them consume media more responsibly. Since parents and teachers cannot monitor everything that students read or post on social media, these healthy thinking skills empower kids to be smart and to be able to think autonomously. Pressto’s program has been used successfully in schools to encourage healthier media consumption and critical thinking skills that are beneficial in school and life. References: Kopala-Sibley, D. C. & Santor, D. A. (2009) *The Mediating Role of Automatic Thoughts in the Personality–Event–Affect Relationship*. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 38(3), 153-161, DOI: 10.1080/16506070802694644 Butler, A. C., Chapman, J. E., Forman, E. M. & Beck, A. T. (2006). The empirical status of cognitive-behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. *Clinical Psychology Review,* *26*(1), 17-31. . Sigurvinsdóttir, A. L., Jensínudóttir, K. B., Baldvinsdóttir, K. D., Smárason, O. & Skarphedinsson, G. (2020). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for child and adolescent anxiety disorders across different CBT modalities and comparisons: a systematic review and meta-analysis. *Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 74*(3), 168-180, DOI: 10.1080/08039488.2019.1686653 Beane, J. (1986). The Continuing Controversy over Affective Education. *Educational Leadership, 43*, 26-31. Schneider, D. (1972) The Time Is Ripe for Affective Education. *The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues, and Ideas, 47*(2), 103-106. DOI:10.1080/00098655.1972.11477704 Weyandt, L. L., Clarkin, C. M., Holding, E. Z., May, S. E., Marraccini, M. E., Gudmundsdottir, B. G., Shepard, E., & Thompson, L. (2020). Neuroplasticity in children and adolescents in response to treatment intervention: A systematic review of the literature. *Clinical and Translational Neuroscience.* National Association for Media Literacy Education. (2019). *Core Principles of Media Literacy Education in the United States.* Retrieved from:[ http://medialiteracyweek.us///wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Namle-Core-Principles-of-MLE-in-the-United-States.pdf](http://medialiteracyweek.us///wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Namle-Core-Principles-of-MLE-in-the-United-States.pdf) Thank you to Christy Burke, Winnie Lin.