Teens, TV Viewing, and Depression
Study Links Adolescent TV Use and Later Development of Depression
Mar 11, 2009
The study, published in February, 2009 in the Archives of General Psychiatry, tracked over 4000 adolescents for seven years to determine the impact of television viewing on the likelihood that they would develop depressive symptoms. The findings? “Those reporting more television use had significantly greater odds of developing depression for each additional hour of daily use.” (Primack, Swanier, Georgiopoulos, Land, and Fine, "Association Between Media Use in Adolescence and Depression in Young Adulthood", Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2009) Findings were even more significant for young men.
Why would excessive television watching lead to depression? There are a number of depression risk factors that are connected to television viewing.
Lack of Physical Exercise
Kids who spend hours a day in front of the television are often physically inactive as well. Instead of choosing to go outside and get some exercise and fresh air, they opt for zoning out in front of the boob tube. Unfortunately, they miss out on the mood elevating benefits of sports and physical exercise.
TV Watching and Social Isolation
Because television watching takes up such a large portion of their day, these kids may also be missing out on opportunities for social interaction with their peers. They may choose TV watching because it is so passive; nothing is asked of them, and no one can reject them. Yet this may increase any social isolation they feel, increasing their risk for depression. TV impacts interactions in families, as well. In some families, for example, dinner conversation among family members has been replaced by individuals silently eating their own meals, in front of their own television shows.
Unhealthy Eating Habits
Kids who spend a lot of time watching TV may also consume more food, and more unhealthy food, then their more active peers. This could be due to the “mindless eating” that often accompanies television watching. In addition, junk food may be more heavily advertised than other products during shows kids and teens are likely to watch, increasing their awareness of and desire for these products.
TV is Passive Entertainment
The constant sensory stimulation of television makes it unnecessary for kids and teens to develop skills to entertain themselves. However, this may delay development in other crucial areas. Dramatic play, the development of imagination and creative problem solving, and other activities that require sustained quiet time, such as reading, may suffer.
Self-Esteem
Kids who are continually entertained in this way may also lack the impetus to find their own talents. As a result, they may miss out on the feelings of competence, pride, and sense of purpose that come with these discoveries, and the boost in self-esteem they provide.
Perceived Threats to Safety
Traumatic news stories that are over-covered on television may contribute to an overall sense of anxiety and helplessness, which may contribute to depressed feelings. Kids who view a lot of these news stories may develop a feeling of perceived threat that is out of proportion to reality.
Social Comparison
The teens on television are all good looking, have lots of money, lead exciting lives, and find easy solutions to their problems. Real teens that use these unrealistic TV kids as a basis for comparing their own lives are bound to come up short. In addition, the proliferation of ads shown during shows popular with teens, often for expensive, brand name status items, sends the message that teens must have these items in order to be cool and accepted. Spending hours a day peering into perfect lives and hearing these messages can significantly impact how teens feel about themselves.
Unfortunately, depression and television watching may be entangled in a cyclical relationship: certain components of TV watching may increase the risk for depression, and depressed kids, who lack energy and enthusiasm, are likely to watch more television, exacerbating the problem. Youth workers and parents should be aware of the risks of excessive television watching, as well as the symptoms of depression, and get kids help when they need it.
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