14 DAY TRIAL // Teenagers who spend a lot of time in front of the TV or under the influence of other mass-media outlets are very likely to develop symptoms related to depression early in their adult life, a new study finds. As a background, the paper, published in the February edition of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, draws attention to the fact that depression is the number one cause for disabilities, and that the medical condition acts very silently, usually settling in over the early adulthood years.
"The development of depression in adolescence may be understood as a biopsychosocial, multi-factorial process influenced by risk and protective factors including temperament, genetic heritability, parenting style, cognitive vulnerability, stressors (as in trauma exposure or poverty) and interpersonal relationships," the authors write in their paper. The research team has been led by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine investigator Brian A. Primack, M.D., Ed.M., M.S.
"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," the study reads.
"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 hold. "In addition, those reporting higher total media exposure had significantly greater odds of developing depression for each additional hour of daily use," the researchers point out, after having analyzed data from 4,142 teens, collected from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health).
The most damaging part of media exposure is that occurring at night, the researchers emphasize, because that's the time when teens are supposed to be in bed, instead of watching TV or playing video games. Sleep deprivation may affect the development of cognitive functions, alongside the fact that social isolation may prompt a low degree of self-esteem, which could constitute one of the symptoms of depression.