ERIC Number: ED510751
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2009-May
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Adolescents and Electronic Media: Growing up Plugged in. Research Brief. Publication #2009-29
Brown, Brett; Marin, Pilar
Child Trends
Over the last decade the daily experience of adolescents has been transformed by developments in electronic media, including the computer, the Internet, and cell phones. Relative rarities only a generation ago, they are the daily tools of communication, information, and amusement for a majority of adolescents. Beyond access, content and capabilities have exploded. Even television, long a ubiquitous presence in American households, has seen content change and has grown dramatically. Parents, policymakers, and researchers acknowledge the power of this transformation, and have become increasingly concerned both about the potential hazards they present to the health and well-being of young users, and that unequal access to their perceived benefits may limit long-term prospects (the so-called "digital divide"). In this brief, we provide a concise overview of research relating electronic media to the health, social development, and educational outcomes of adolescents. We also present data describing trends and inequalities in access to electronic media as well as the time adolescents spend and the activities they engage in through these media. We conclude with a brief discussion of the implications for policy, research, and data collection. (Contains 7 figures.)
Descriptors: Adolescents, Electronics, Mass Media, Internet, Computers, Handheld Devices, Influence of Technology, Science and Society, Television, Social Change, Disadvantaged, Access to Computers, Health, Social Development, Drinking, Smoking, Obesity, Sexuality, Educational Objectives, Well Being, Bullying, Outcomes of Education
Child Trends. 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 350, Washington, DC 20008. Tel: 202-572-6000; Fax: 202-362-8420; Web site: http://www.childtrends.org
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: Parents; Researchers; Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Child Trends
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A