Fears of Depression Due to Facebook Are Unfounded

The fears of a possible link between depression and the amount of time spent on Facebook or other social networking sites are possibly unfounded, according to a study published in the U.S. this week.

The University of Wisconsin found that there is no evidence to support the theory outlined in a study last year by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which suggested that exposure to Facebook could lead to depression in adolescents.

“Our study is the first to present scientific evidence on the suggested link between social media use and risk of depression,” declared Lauren Jelenchick, a researcher from the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin.

“The findings have important implications for clinicians who may prematurely alarm parents about social media use and depression risks,” said the expert.

Jelenchick and Professor Megan Moreno examined 190 university students between the ages of 18 and 23 who spend half of their time connected to Facebook. However, they did not find any relationship between social networks and depression. The results were published on Monday in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The researchers noted that “… a single study cannot prove or disprove an association …” referring to the previously published work. “While the amount of time on Facebook is not associated with depression, we encourage parents to be active role models and teachers on safe and balanced media use for their children,” Moreno stated.