Does social media increase risk for substance abuse among teens?
There are a host of reasons why teenagers use alcohol, drugs and other not-so-great substance: Peer pressure, experimentation, problems at home, among other influences. It's a complicated issue.
Add regular Facebook and other social media usage to that list, according to a new survey.
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University said today that teens who regularly use Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites face increased risk of smoking, drinking and drug use.
Unlike teens who do not use social networking sites, students who do likely see photos of kids drunk, passed out or using drugs, helping to normalize the activity, the group says. Compared to teens who avoid such sites, young people who regularly visit them are five times as likely to use tobacco, three times likely to use alcohol and twice as likely to use marijuana.
Here's what the Chicago Tribune found:
"We're not saying (social media) causes it," said Joseph Califano, the center's chairman. "But we are saying that this is a characteristic that should signal to (parents) that, well, you ought to be watching."The findings are in keeping with a new wave of research into how social networks might affect teen decision-making. Several studies have suggested that Facebook, Myspace and other sites have created a new form of peer pressure, exposing young people to risky behaviors they could be tempted to emulate.
...But some experts warn that the research, like social media itself, is still in its infancy, and that the correlation between social networking and teen substance abuse could be disguising more relevant risk factors. Others contend that bad influences in the real world are much more potent.
What many experts agree on, though, is the importance of parents keeping tabs on their children's Internet activities.
What kind of restrictions do you put on your child's social networking usage? What kind of influence do you think social networking has on teens and substance abuse?
UPDATE (2:47 p.m.) The study's findings are getting some pushback. Check out The Atlantic blog post here and a rebuttal of the study's methodology from an organization called youthfacts.org.
Comments
No surprise.
Firstly "regular users" of social media sites would tend to include people who are addicted to media and enjoy the effects of endorphines.
Secondly socializing would tend to make kids more aware of what other kids are doing.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 24, 2011 11:52 AM
The best thing you can do is to not expose your child to anything. Keep him/her locked in his/her room forever, that way they can never make decisions for themselves, which could include the decision to drink or smoke.
Posted by: Will | August 24, 2011 3:44 PM
"Survey: Social media use raises teens' substance abuse risk" reads the teaser headline. Then, the main citation of the article reads, "We're not saying (social media) causes (substance abuse risk.)" This is irresponsible sensationalism on the part of whoever posted that headline on the front page of the website. The survey did not claim that social media raised teens' substance abuse risk. Irresponsible.
Posted by: Pat | August 24, 2011 4:10 PM
Ok. So what was the excuse 25 years ago when teens were abusing drugs? Who paid (let me guess, our government)for this stupid study anyway? I seriously doubt social media sites have anything to do with substance abuse. They're too busy texting/tweeting/facebooking to be able to go out and buy the crap let alone "consume" it. Find another excuse for problems w/kids today. Perhaps putting the fear of death by punishment may make them respect others today and not have a sense of "entitlement".
Posted by: Dan | August 24, 2011 9:58 PM
They've taken a statistical correlation and have drawn a conclusion of causation.
Posted by: ellacarey | August 28, 2011 2:59 AM