Teen depression may have links to TV, study says

The Orlando Sentinel (MCT) - TV has become a great scapegoat for these stressful times. But is a teenager who watches hours of daily television more likely to become depressed?

Yes.

In a study conducted at University of Pittsburgh, researchers interviewed 4,142 adolescents _ none of whom showed signs of depression at the start _ and found that, when they checked in with them seven years later, 7 percent of the adolescents (who were now 21) had developed signs of depression.

The depressed young people watched more television than those who weren't depressed: an average of 2.64 hours of TV a day versus 2.28 hours per day for the adolescents who weren't depressed.

More startling was this news: Each extra hour of TV (above the average) was associated with an 8 percent greater risk of depression, said lead researcher Dr. Brian Primack, assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at University of Pittsburgh medical school.

The risk was greater for young men than for young women, even if they watched the same amount of TV.

"Girls generally have more friendships, closer friendships and more outlets for being with other human beings," Primack says. "If a girl starts to spend a lot of time with the television, she might have enough 'social reserve' left over to keep her connection with people and society. Whereas if a boy spends those precious few hours with mass media, it might have more of an effect."

Boys, says Lake Mary, Fla., psychologist Erica Karlinsky, tend to socialize very differently from girls. While a girl may develop a friendship with a best friend and be content to sit in her bedroom talking to her friend, boys' social lives tend to revolve around activities, such as sports.

"If a boy is 12 years old and doesn't play an instrument or doesn't play a sport, it's much harder for a boy to feel a sense of belonging," Karlinsky says.

For those who have been ostracized or left out at school, television might become a natural haven, she says. Those children may be the ones more likely to become depressed.

Although Primack originally thought that watching too much TV might lead girls to become depressed _ because they couldn't be the impossibly thin or stunningly beautiful women on TV _ his study results found otherwise.

Now he wonders whether boys who watch too much TV find themselves unable to measure up to TV's leading men.

"There may be just as many messages that make boys feel inadequate," Primack says. "You have to be as funny as Chris Rock, as charming as James Bond, as talented as a pro athlete."

For parents, experts say, the warning should be clear: Even though the study did not find that TV causes depression, parents should pay attention to how much time their teens are watching TV _ or using the Internet.

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"A warning sign would be a teen who doesn't seem to enjoy doing anything else," says Karlinsky. "A teen who watches a lot of TV, but is also on the football team or belongs to clubs, they may just be using the TV to relax and enjoy some down time."

Parents should be concerned when their teen turns down invitations to join others so he can watch TV or play on the computer.

"That's a big red flag _ when they do have opportunities to be with other kids and they choose not to," she says.

Parents should also start paying more attention to what their kids are watching and doing online, says Alan Keck, an Altamonte Springs, Fla., psychologist.

"If you look at the media that are targeted at teens, it's not too surprising that there should be depression, hostility _ which is often a more obvious sign of depression in males _ and the violence that we seem to see more of," Keck says. "Media _ whether TV or Internet _ are effective escapes for shy kids. Should parents pay more attention? The answer for most is 'yes,' though a few do a pretty good job of screening."

Primack said he thinks our society needs to teach kids media literacy _ how to view advertising and TV content with a skeptical eye.

"Rather than saying, 'We should all stop watching TV,' let's teach young people to analyze and evaluate what they see and realize that everything they see is not reality," Primack says.

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Researchers interviewed 4,142 adolescents _ none of whom were showing signs of depression at the start _ and found that seven years later:

7 percent of the adolescents (who were now 21) had developed signs of depression.

The depressed young people watched an average of 2.64 hours of TV a day versus 2.28 hours per day for the adolescents who weren't depressed.

Each extra hour of TV (above the average) was associated with an 8 percent greater risk of depression.

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RED FLAGS FOR DEPRESSION

Is your teen watching too much TV? Are you worried that he may be showing signs of depression?

Pay attention to how much time the child watches TV (some psychologists say it's as important to know how much time your child is spending on the computer, too.)

Is your teen interested in socializing with others? Be concerned if he doesn't want to do anything other than watch TV or get on the computer.

Watch for other signs of depression: changes in sleep habits, significant weight gain or weight loss, irritability, pessimism, indifference.

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Call the school and talk to teachers about your child's behavior at school. Is he or she withdrawn? Does he or she socialize with other students?

See a counselor if you're concerned that your teen is depressed. "I suggest parents go to the appointment with their child, in a very nonthreatening manner," says Erica Karlinsky, a Lake Mary, Fla., psychologist. "It's important to tell your child, 'I just want to make sure we're doing everything we can for you. Because we want to make sure that you're as happy as you can be.'"

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© 2009, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).