Teen Depression Caused By Lack of or Too Much Internet

Added by Annika L. Krugel on January 24, 2011

Results of a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics has found that although teenagers behave normally when spending time online, too much or too little time spent surfing the net can bring teens to depression.

The study surveyed a total of 7,200 teenagers aged between 16 and 20 and was lead by Dr. Pierre Andre Michaud from the University of Lausanne.

The study doesn’t, however, blame Internet usage for teen depression, and clearly points out that both teens who spent time on the net and those who haven’t showed signs of depression. Researchers say that the time or lack of time spent by a teenager on the Internet can be a sign of depression.

Researchers considered surveyed teens who spent two hours on the Internet per day ‘heavy’ users, whereas those who were online only several time in a week and to the 2-hour limit daily were seen as being ‘regular’ users.

After answering a series of questions regarding health and tendency towards depression, the researchers at the University of Lausanne found that teens who didn’t use the Internet and those who were heavy users had a higher chance of being depressed.