A study by Stony Brook University has found that discussions of mutual problems on the social networking site Facebook can lead to depression among teenaged girls.

Teenaged girls have long been known for their ability to talk for hours about their problems with other teenaged girls. As it transpires, this sort of discussion is known among psychologists as “co-rumination” and if done in excess can result in excess anxiety and serious depression among this particular group.

The study was done by Stony Brook University in New York and looked at the increased opportunity that teenaged girls have to “co-ruminate” today, taking into consideration email, texting, social networking and other technological communication advances. This new study has found that repeated conversations among adolescent girls, particularly about romantic disappointments, worsen their mood and create negative emotions, according to a Daily Mail article.

Dr Joanne Davila, the psychology professor who led the research, says “There is a wealth of communication technology available to teens today that allows them to talk over and over again about the same emotional difficulties. Texting, instant messaging and social networking make it very easy for adolescents to become even more anxious, which can lead to depression.” These constant discussion can turn into obsession and lead to significant problems.

The study looked at the discussion habits of 83 girls, starting with an interview when the girls were 13, as well as an evaluation of their mental state. The girls were interviewed one year later to follow up on any changes in their habits or their mental outlooks. The interviews show that more discussions of subjects like romance, dating, and kissing were more likely to lead to depression than less discussion.

Dr. Davila said, “We wanted to start the process at the beginning and follow them over time to see what happens. Lots of talking can help if those involved have strong problem-solving skills because it helps them reach a solution and it builds friendships.” Sometimes, though, these discussions can be more of a problem than they are a solution. “They often don’t realize that excessive talking is actually making them feel worse,” Dr. Davila said.

“Parents may need to be aware when they are obsessing about a setback and set limits on the discussion,” said Dr. Davila, then continued, “They could change the subject, for example, after helping their daughter sum up how they feel about the problem, or think about more active ways to deal with it.

Dr Davila also notes that even though girls spend much more time discussing their personal problems, the growth of electronic communications could lead to more co-rumination among boys in this age group. She said, “It’s most likely they are discussing the game last night or meeting up, but there’s a possibility they could start discussing emotional problems more than in the past which would put them at risk.”

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Entry was posted on Sunday, February 1st, 2009 at 6:57 pm under Internet, Social Media.

Read more entries by Michael W. Jones.
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