Jim Liebelt's Youth Culture Watch

Texting, Video Gaming Especially Bad for Teen's Sleep

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by HealthDay.

Any type of time spent looking at screens before bed is bad for kids' sleep, but new research shows that "interactive" screen time -- texting and video games, for example -- is especially harmful.

The effects of interactive screen time on sleep might not even be restricted to bedtime -- researchers found the total time per day spent texting/gaming mattered, too.

For each hour during the day that teens played video games beyond their usual amount, sleep that evening was delayed by 10 minutes, said a team from Pennsylvania State University.

In the study, the Penn State researchers used surveys to track the daytime "screen activities" of 475 adolescents. Included in those activities was email, texting, instant messaging or messaging via social media. Also included were video gaming (an interactive activity), plus more "passive" pursuits such as surfing the internet or watching TV or online videos.

The study found teens spend a lot of time communicating with friends: About two hours a day emailing, texting, instant messaging, on average.

They also spent, on average, about 1.3 hours per day playing video games, and 1.7 hours per day passively watching TV or videos.

In terms of the hour before bedtime, 77% of the adolescents were involved with "interactive" media (texting, video games and the like) while 69% watched TV or movies, according to the researchers.

Kids got an average 7.8 hours of sleep per night, the study found.

Interactive screen time appeared to be more detrimental to slumber than passive watching, Reichenberger's group found.

For each hour they texted, messaged or gamed during the day, adolescents fell asleep about 11 minutes later. If these interactive activities occurred in the hour before bed, they got to sleep 30 minutes later, on average.

However, more passive watching of TV or online videos appeared to have little impact on the timing of kids' sleep.

The findings were published in The Journal of Adolescent Health.

Source: HealthDay
https://www.healthday.com/health-news/child-health/texting-video-gaming-especially-bad-for-teens-sleep-study

Over 4 Hours of Smartphone Use Leads to Serious Health Risks for Teens

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by StudyFinds.

Teenagers who use smartphones for over four hours a day are at a “serious” risk for certain health issues, a new study warns. Researchers say that increased smartphone use has been linked to psychiatric disorders, sleep disturbances, eye problems, and musculoskeletal issues.

The study found that adolescents with more than four hours of daily smartphone use exhibited higher rates of stress, suicidal thoughts, and substance use compared to those with less usage. They also had a significantly higher rate of obesity.

Interestingly, the study suggests that moderate internet use, between one and two hours per day, may be associated with better physical and mental health in adolescents compared to those who do not use smartphones at all. The researchers also note the possibility of a reverse relationship between phone usage and health risks.

“Excessive smartphone usage was related to adverse behavioral health outcomes, which were overt when the usage time exceeded four hours a day,” says Professor Jong Ho Cha from Hanyang University Medical Center in a media release. “This relationship could also be in the opposite direction, as previous studies have shown that adolescents with emotional regulation difficulties may be more prone to excessive smartphone use.”

To arrive at their conclusions, the team analyzed data from over 50,000 Korean adolescents collected through an online survey. They observed a significant increase in smartphone usage from 2017 to 2020, with 85.7% of adolescents in 2020 using their phones for more than two hours a day, up from 64.3 percent in 2017.

The study was published in the journal PLoS ONE.

Source: StudyFinds
https://studyfinds.org/smartphone-use-health-risks-teens/

Revealing the Impact of Parental Tech Use on Adolescent Mental Health and Behavior

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

A new review titled "Parental technoference and adolescents' mental health and violent behavior: a scoping review" carried out by Bangor University and Public Health Wales and published in the journal BMC Public Health has shown how parent's use of technology can interfere with the relationship between parents and adolescents and influence adolescents' mental health and behavioral outcomes.

This interference or disruption caused by technology in our daily lives, particularly in our interpersonal relationships is termed "technoference." It refers to the negative impact that technology such as smartphones, computers, and other digital devices, can have on our face-to-face interactions, communication, and overall well-being.

Technoference can include things such as prioritizing attention paid to devices over spending quality time with others, constantly checking phones during conversations, or getting distracted by notifications and social media while in the company of friends or family. This has previously been found to lead to decreased interpersonal connections, reduced attention and engagement in real-world interactions, and increased feelings of isolation and disconnection.

The review showed that adolescents recognize that some level of parental technoference is a typical part of the digital environment we live in. However, studies consistently show when parents show increased technoference, this is associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in violent behaviors (e.g., cyber-bullying) and poorer mental health outcomes (e.g., depression and anxiety) in adolescents. Some studies showed that adolescents' risks of experiencing poorer mental health were influenced by parental warmth and personal psychological factors (e.g., self-esteem, agreeableness, neuroticism).

Donna Dixon, Lecturer in Education, Childhood and Youth Studies at Bangor University, who contributed to the research said, "The disruptive influence of technology in the daily lives of families, particularly within interpersonal relationships, can have far-reaching consequences.

"Our study reveals that proactive measures are crucial, emphasizing the importance of considering contextual factors like the frequency and duration of device use. Parents should critically examine their screen use while in the presence of children to minimize distractions and set a positive example for the next generation."

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-11-revealing-impact-parental-tech-adolescent.html

About 1 in 5 U.S. Teens Who’ve Heard of ChatGPT Have Used It for Schoolwork

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by Pew Research Center.

Roughly one in five teenagers who have heard of ChatGPT say they have used it to help them do their schoolwork, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17. With a majority of teens having heard of ChatGPT, that amounts to 13% of all U.S. teens who have used the generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot in their schoolwork.

Teens in higher grade levels are particularly likely to have used the chatbot to help them with schoolwork. About one-quarter of 11th and 12th graders who have heard of ChatGPT say they have done this. This share drops to 17% among 9th and 10th graders and 12% among 7th and 8th graders.

There is no significant difference between teen boys and girls who have used ChatGPT in this way.

The introduction of ChatGPT last year has led to much discussion about its role in schools, especially whether schools should integrate the new technology into the classroom or ban it.

Teens who are more aware of ChatGPT are more likely to use it for schoolwork. Roughly a third of teens who have heard a lot about ChatGPT (36%) have used it for schoolwork, far higher than the 10% among those who have heard a littleabout it.

There is a fair amount of support for using the chatbot to explore a topic. Roughly seven in ten teens who have heard of ChatGPT say it’s acceptable to use when they are researching something new, while 13% say it is not acceptable.

However, there is much less support for using ChatGPT to do the work itself. Just one in five teens who have heard of ChatGPT say it’s acceptable to use it to write essays, while 57% say it is not acceptable. And 39% say it’s acceptable to use ChatGPT to solve math problems, while a similar share of teens (36%) say it’s not acceptable.

Source: Pew Research Center
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/11/16/about-1-in-5-us-teens-whove-heard-of-chatgpt-have-used-it-for-schoolwork/

Talking to Someone in Person Better for Mood Than Using Smartphones All Day

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by StudyFinds.

Countless people look to their smartphones for approval and happiness, but researchers from the University of Georgia find that people would be better off talking to someone in person instead. Study authors report that when people were asked to either scroll on their phones, sit quietly by themselves, or have a conversation with a stranger, participants usually believed talking was the most enjoyable.

“When people are out in the real world, they have these options,” says lead author and doctoral student Christina Leckfor in a university release. “We were interested in getting a sense of how people compare their options, both in terms of how they expect to feel and then how they actually feel after doing these things.”

“We thought people might underestimate how much they would enjoy talking to a stranger and overestimate how much they would enjoy using their smartphones,” Leckfor continues. “But that’s not what we found. Across our studies, people were actually more accurate in predicting how they would feel than we thought they’d be.”

When study participants were given three options (use a smartphone, sit alone, or talk to a stranger), the conversation held the highest positive emotional value. Using a smartphone ranked second, and sitting alone came in third.

Adding more options shuffled up the results even further. After providing volunteers with specific smartphone tasks (watching videos, scrolling social media, or texting) besides just talking or sitting quietly, participants reported they would enjoy watching videos the most, followed by talking to a stranger, using social media, and then texting. Sitting alone once again ranked last.

A major difference, according to Leckfor, stemmed from the emotions associated with these tasks. While people admitted they would prefer using their smartphone in some capacity, they saw a higher mood boost after talking to a stranger.

“It surprised us that even though participants reported an improved mood after talking to a stranger, they still ranked texting above talking to a stranger,” Leckfor adds. “This could mean that people don’t always recognize the potential benefits of a conversation, or they’re not prioritizing that information. It also shows that just experiencing something as enjoyable isn’t always enough to get us to want to do it.”

The study was published in The Journal of Social Psychology.

Source: StudyFinds
https://studyfinds.org/talking-to-someone-in-person/

1 in 5 U.S. Parents Worry Their Teen Is Addicted to the Internet

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by HealthDay.

American parents fear their teens’ internet use could expose them to cyberbullying, harmful content, and set them up for addiction, a new study shows.

A survey of about 1,000 moms and dads found more than 22% were concerned their children might be dependent on the internet. Twice as many were worried about internet addiction as were concerned about addiction to substances like drugs or alcohol.

The new survey from researchers at the Child Mind Institute in New York City and others highlights parents' feelings as they navigate teenagers and technology.

While some worry about internet addiction, many also say the internet has brought immediate and extended family closer together.

Study co-author Dr. Giovanni Salum, a program director for the institute, said there is an overall perception that mental health disorders are increasing over time. Evidence suggests that internet use and social media may contribute to that.

“The interesting thing about this study, though, is that it looks into both ends — the benefits and the harms,” Salum said, citing the family connectedness as a real positive.

The survey showed that almost two-thirds of parents were worried about harmful internet content and 53% about online bullying.

Yet, almost half appreciated improved connectedness among immediate family members and about 57% liked this for extended families.

The study findings were published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Network Open.

Source: HealthDay
https://www.healthday.com/health-news/child-health/1-in-5-us-parents-worry-their-teen-is-addicted-to-the-internet

Study Finds More Than Half of Teenagers Have No Rules for Using Tech at Home

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by ScienceX.

According to the latest figures from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics (INE), seven out of every 10 young children and adolescents between 10 and 15 years old in the country have a mobile phone, creating a relentless environment in which young people need to learn how to regulate their use of these and other digital devices. In order to achieve this, their parents and older siblings are key factors in two aspects: as role models and for establishing boundaries and guidelines.

These are the conclusions of a study by the eHealth Center at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and the University of Girona (UdG), which also reveals a surprising result: 60% of adolescents are not subject to any rules in their home governing how they use tech devices, including mobile phones, televisions, computers, tablets, and video game devices.

According to the authors of the study, which was published in the Journal of Family Issues, this situation needs to be addressed.

"If we don't set any kind of rules, young children and adolescents won't regulate themselves because they're not mature enough to do so. But if we impose some rules, their immediate response may be to break them because that's part of being an adolescent." That is the argument put forward by Merche Martin Perpiñá, psychologist, faculty member at the UOC and the UdG, and one of the authors of the study, which was carried out based on the data she compiled for her doctoral thesis.

The wide range of statistical results provided by this research includes the following data: 46.9% of the adolescents said there are between four and five mobile phones in their home; 34.7% have two or three video game devices; more than half have two or three computers at home, and two or three televisions. In addition, 38.3% acknowledge that they use their mobile phone continuously.

Likewise, the study links a large number of devices in the home to increased use. Accordingly, the UOC expert pointed out: "Although there are no magic solutions, we need to bear in mind that if we have a television in every room, we're encouraging everyone to watch what they want, whenever they want. If we only have one television in a shared space, we're going to spend more time together, and we're going to have to negotiate what we watch."

Source: ScienceX
https://sciencex.com/wire-news/460196191/study-finds-more-than-half-of-teenagers-have-no-rules-for-using.html

Constant Companion: A Week in the Life of a Young Person's Smartphone Use

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by Common Sense Media.

New research has been released by Common Sense Media looking at how today's teens actually use their smartphones.

Among the key findings of the report, Constant Companion: A Week in the Life of a Young Person's Smartphone Use are:

• The smartphone is a constant companion, both providing background buzz and encouraging regular pickups over the more than four hours of teen smartphone use on an average day.

• Phone use during school hours is nearly universal but varies widely.

• Notifications are plentiful, with half of the participants receiving 237 or more messages per day.

• TikTok is irresistable.

• Over half of teens used their phone overnight on school nights.

Download the entire report at Common Sense Media.

Source: Common Sense Media
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/constant-companion-a-week-in-the-life-of-a-young-persons-smartphone-use

One in Four Adolescents Have Been Cyberbullied

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MSN/The Canadian Press.

A new Statistics Canada report says one in four adolescents have been cyberbullied, and it's taking a toll on their mental health.

The study says youth who have been victimized online have a greater risk of depression, anxiety, eating disorder symptoms, and thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts.

The report is based on data from more than 13,000 adolescents who were between 12 and 17 years old.

Source: MSN/The Canadian Press
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle/smart-living/1-in-4-adolescents-have-been-cyberbullied-statcan-says/

Social Media Is Parents' Top Concern as Kids Head Back to School

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by HealthDay.

When U.S. parents express their concerns about their school-aged children, social media use and the internet are at the top of the list.

Mental health issues are another top worry, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

"Parents still view problems directly impacting physical health, including unhealthy eating and obesity, as important children's health issues, said pediatrician Dr. Susan Woolford, co-director of the poll.

"But these have been overtaken by concerns about mental health, social media, and screen time," Woolford said in a Michigan Medicine news release.

Two-thirds of parents surveyed reported that they are worried about children's increased time on devices, including overall screen time and use of social media. Those were the No.1 and No.2 concerns on the list this year.

"Children are using digital devices and social media at younger ages, and parents may struggle with how to appropriately monitor use to prevent negative impacts on safety, self-esteem, social connections and habits that may interfere with sleep and other areas of health," Woolford said.

Screen time became a growing concern for parents during the pandemic, previous reports have suggested.

Mental and emotional health were among the other top concerns.

The majority of parents view depression, suicide, stress, anxiety, and related topics like bullying as big problems, the poll showed.

Nearly half of those surveyed said they were concerned about the lack of mental health services.

Source: HealthDay
https://consumer.healthday.com/social-media-2663996912.html