ABSTRACT
In the past several decades, the term "at risk" has been used to refer to the financial, social, and emotional experiences of children and families living in poverty. However, beginning in the late 1990s, researchers uncovered "a new 'at risk' population, a previously unrecognized and unstudied group, that of the affluent teenager". Another key contributor to the development of affluent youth is the role of technology, most notably, social media. School is a natural place for this self-discovery to occur as the learning is already a cornerstone of this social setting. Caroline's narrative illustrates and dramatizes a small fraction of the struggles of an affluent adolescent today. The culture of affluence places much esteem on educational advancement, the impeccable resume, materialism, and financial gains, all in an effort to create the "perfect" life. In summary, though affluent students are often an under researched population, many serious psychological and social issues are masked by the facade of affluence.
