Therapist warns teens are losing one personality trait that shapes future

A therapist told Newsweek that teenagers are losing a key personality trait she associates with future discovery: the ability to experience “constructive boredom.” Hattie Awe, a primary and family therapist for adolescents based in Chicago, said she has noticed a lack of exploration among teens, contrasting with earlier generations who filled time through socializing, learning new skills, trying hobbies, or adopting new media forms. Awe, 30, argued that constant smartphone stimulation reduces time for inward processing and emotion handling, which she described as detrimental to emotional wellbeing. The article links this concern to policy movement in the U.K., where Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a ban on social media for under-16s expected by spring 2027, covering platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. Awe also suggested that abundant online opinions can make it harder for youths to form their own.