The Los Angeles Times /Orlando Sentinel (3/28, Shrieves) reported that, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Facebook, "the popular social networking website, may be one tool to find those who are suffering from depression." For the study, researchers "analyzed the Facebook profiles of 200 college sophomores and juniors. They found that 25 percent of the students showed one or more symptoms of depression -- including references to decreased interest or pleasure in activities, change in appetite, sleep problems, loss of energy, and feelings of guilt or worthlessness." The NPR (3/28, Hensley) "Shots" blog also covered the story. Social Networking May Impact Children's Emotional Health.
WebMD (3/28, Goodman) reported, "Cyberbullying, sexting, and so-called Facebook depression are a few of the reasons parents should tune in to what their teens and 'tweens are doing on social networking sites," according to a clinical report published in Pediatrics. The report "outlines some of the key benefits and risks of social networking. It stresses the need for parents not only to talk to their kids about specific risks, but to participate with their kids on sites like MySpace and Twitter, rather than to leave monitoring up to software programs."
According to HealthDay (3/28, Gordon), "The report found that social media encourage kids to connect with each other and to express their creativity." However, "these sites are not without risk, according to the report. One of the biggest risks is cyberbullying and online harassment."
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