Research
Teen messaging and well-being: Who is on the other end matters
Earth.com · By Luis Arrais ·
The Brief
- A survey of 3,034 Swedish 15-year-olds examined teen messaging habits and well-being.
- Teens who messaged close friends or their wider circle several times a day or more scored higher on a well-being test than teens who messaged less often.
- The finding shifts the focus from how many hours teens spend on phones to who they are messaging.
Why it matters
It suggests that research and advice on teen screen use may need to distinguish between the social partners teens communicate with, not only the time spent messaging.
Who’s affected
- researchers studying adolescent well-being and digital media
- parents and educators concerned with teen phone use
- #adolescents
- #well-being
- #social media
- #digital media
- #survey research
The usual question about a teenager’s phone is how many hours. A survey of 3,034 Swedish 15-year-olds asked a different one: who is on the other end? Teens who messaged close friends or their wider circle several times a day or more scored higher on a well-being test than teens…
Timeline
Earth.com publishes article on the survey of Swedish 15-year-olds
Earth.com
Teen messaging and well-being: Who is on the other end matters