Net good & bad for teens: Study

The results of an important set of studies in the American Psychological Association's journal are not surprising but useful confirmation: "Some youth [75-90% of whom use the Net in the US] benefit from Internet use while for others it can exacerbate self-destructive behaviors." The study is presented in six articles in a special issue of Developmental Psychology, edited by Patricia Greenfield in UCLA's Department of Psychology and Zheng Yan at State University of New York, Albany. Some of the positives mentioned: "essential social support for otherwise isolated adolescents" and "the improvement of academic performance and health awareness." Key negatives in the study included: "the sharing of self-injury practices" and the potential online communication has for normalizing and encouraging "self-injurious behavior." The six articles are available in full. Links are provided at the bottom of the APA's press release.