TV and Depression

By Virginia Prescott on Tuesday, February 17, 2009.

Child sitting in front of a television

For decades now, parents have been harping on kids to turn off the boob-tube and head outside for some fresh air. Even without empirical evidence, most parents figure out that too much TV is bad for young minds. Now, new findings appear to confirm those theories. A recently released study links television viewing to higher rates of depression, even though a causal relationship between the two is not entirely clear.

Brian Primack led the study. He’s Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and he joins us to tell us about the study.

Archives of General Psychiatry: Association Between Media Use in Adolescence and Depression in Young Adulthood

Providence Journal: TV linked to depression in teens, especially boys

Los Angeles Times Science: Study links TV and depression

(Photo courtesy Aaron Escobar^TM via Flickr/Creative Commons)

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Word of Mouth is all about what's new. Online and on-air, the show looks at our fascinating and ever-changing world, and puts the latest ideas under a microscope. Word of Mouth investigates everything from science and technology, to health and the environment, to new trends in popular culture. The show airs Monday through Thursday at noon and is hosted by Virginia Prescott.