Respostas
A study presented on Saturday (6/8) at the 119th annual convention of the American Psychological Association in Washington DC, and released Sunday (7/8) by Science Daily says that the use of social networks can lead adolescents to manifest "narcissistic tendencies" and make them more vulnerable to anxiety, depression and other psychological problems.
In the presentation, entitled "Poke Me: How Social Networks Can Both Help and Harm Our Kids", the PhD and professor of psychology Larry D. Rosen, of California State University, said that "particularly among young people, we are just beginning to see strong research that demonstrates both the positive and the negative side" of social networks such as Facebook.
In their study, Rosen points out that teenagers who use Facebook tend to present more often narcissistic tendencies, while youngsters with a strong presence on Facebook show more signs of other psychological problems, such as antisocial behavior, mania and aggressive tendencies.
The daily abuse of social media and technology has a negative effect on the health of all children, pre-adolescents and adolescents, who become more prone to anxiety, depression and other psychological problems, as well as making them more susceptible to health problems in the future.
The psychologist also warned about the effects of Facebook on students: the social network can distract and negatively impact the studies. Rosen cited research that showed college and college students who visited Facebook at least once during a 15-minute study period took lower grades.
Benefits
Among the positive impacts of social networking, Rosen pointed out that virtual relationships can help introverted teens learn how to socialize. In addition, social networks can provide more attractive teaching tools that can promote the engagement of young students.
To parents, the teacher recommended that they follow their children's activities on social networking sites and discuss the removal of inappropriate content or connections. Parents also need to be aware of online trends and the latest technologies, websites and applications that children use.