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Media Use and Adolescent Psychological Adjustment: An Examination of Gender Differences

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Abstract

This study examined media use and psychological adjustment (as indicated by depression and anxiety symptomatology) in a sample of 328 14- to 16-year-old adolescents. Primary goals of the study were to explore whether media use differs by gender, whether media use is related to adolescent psychological problems, and whether media use moderates the relationship between parental alcoholism and adolescent psychological adjustment. Adolescents were surveyed in the spring of 2006, and again one year later. Gender differences in media use were observed with boys spending more time playing video games than girls and girls spending more time talking on the phone than boys. Strikingly, none of the types of media examined was associated with depression or anxiety. Moreover, media use acted as a protective factor for boys. Boys who spent relatively more time playing video games and watching television had the lowest levels of anxiety, especially those from alcoholic homes. The opposite pattern emerged for girls.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grant #K01-AA015059 to Christine McCauley Ohannessian from the National Institutes of Health. The involvement of all of the schools and students who participated is greatly appreciated. Special thanks go to Lisa Fong and Kelly Yannetta Cheeseman for their dedication to the project.

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  1. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Delaware, 110 Alison West, Newark, DE, 19716-3301, USA

    Christine McCauley Ohannessian

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  1. Christine McCauley Ohannessian
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Correspondence to Christine McCauley Ohannessian.

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Ohannessian, C.M. Media Use and Adolescent Psychological Adjustment: An Examination of Gender Differences. J Child Fam Stud 18, 582–593 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-009-9261-2

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