.png){kind=icon}
Administrator- Joined
- May 11, 2013
- Posts
- 24,890
- Reaction score
- 13,614
- Points
- 2,755
- Location
- Morganton, N.C.
- Website
- conversations-ii.freeforums.net
(The Guardian) Links between screen time and depression in teens investigated
Depression is on the rise among young people connected to increased screen time, according to some pretty sobering research out from the Black Dog Institute.
Their report out today, Turning the tide on depression, investigates how depression is impacting four groups in Australia: children, adolescents, young adults and young First Nations people. Dr Alexis Whitton, research fellow at the Black Dog Institute, spoke to ABC Radio about the findings. Whitton said the relationship between depression and screen time was stronger in adolescent girls than adolescent boys.
She said the causal relationship was unclear, as it might be that when girls are feeling down and looking for sources of support, they turn to their screens – but of course this might not be helpful.
What can be done?
Whitton said the Black Dog Institute was calling for more nationally representative surveys of adolescent mental health as the latest survey was 10 years ago, which is not frequent enough to offer evidence-based responses. She said a blanket ban on screen time might not be the answer.
The crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. The Indigenous crisis hotline 13 YARN 13 92 76.
