Teen media exposure associated with depression symptoms in young adulthood
Exposure to more television and other electronic media
during the teenage years appears to be associated with developing depression symptoms
in young adulthood, especially among men, according to a report in the February
issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Depression, the leading cause of non-fatal disability
worldwide, commonly begins in adolescence or young adulthood, according to background
information in the article. "The development of depression in adolescence may
be understood as a biopsychosocial, multifactorial process influenced by risk
and protective factors including temperament, genetic heritability, parenting
style, cognitive vulnerability, stressors (e.g., trauma exposure or poverty) and
interpersonal relationships," the authors write. Media exposure is another plausible
influence, since teens are exposed to an average of eight and one-half hours of
electronic media per day.
Brian A. Primack, M.D., Ed.M., M.S., of the University
of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and colleagues used data from the National Longitudinal
Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to determine exposure to electronic media
among 4,142 adolescents who were not depressed at the beginning of the study in
1995. The teens were asked how many hours they had spent during the last week
watching television or videocassettes, playing computer games or listening to
the radio (the survey was conducted before DVDs or the Internet became widely
used). They reported an average of 5.68 hours of media exposure per day, including
2.3 hours of television, 0.62 hours of videocassettes, 0.41 hours of computer
games and 2.34 hours of radio.
Seven years later (at an average age of 21.8), participants
were screened and 308 (7.4 percent) had developed symptoms consistent with depression.
"In the fully adjusted models, participants had significantly greater odds of
developing depression by follow-up for each hour of daily television viewed,"
the authors write. "In addition, those reporting higher total media exposure had
significantly greater odds of developing depression for each additional hour of
daily use." Given the same amount of media exposure, young women were less likely
to develop symptoms of depression than young men.
Media exposure could influence the development of depression
symptoms through many different mechanisms, the authors note. The time spent engaging
with electronic media may replace time that would otherwise be spent on social,
intellectual or athletic activities that may protect against depression. Media
exposure at night may disrupt sleep, which is important for normal cognitive and
emotional development. In addition, messages transmitted through the media may
reinforce aggression and other risky behaviors, interfere with identity development
or inspire fear and anxiety.
"Psychiatrists, pediatricians, family physicians, internists
and other health care providers who work with adolescents may find it useful to
ask their patients about television and other media exposure," the authors write.
"When high amounts of television or total exposure are present, a broader assessment
of the adolescent's psychosocial functioning may be appropriate, including screening
for current depressive symptoms and for the presence of additional risk factors.
If no other immediate intervention is indicated, encouraging patients to participate
in activities that promote a sense of mastery and social connection may promote
the development of protective factors against depression."
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