Effect of electronic media on adolescents' psychosocial health

Abstract

Background: In the last decade, electronic media usage in world and India has seen dramatic increase. Electronic media is demonstrating potentially profound effects, especially on children and adolescents, like a double-edged sword. Electronic media is the media that uses electronics or electromechanical means for the audience to access the content. Many studies documenting relationship of electronic media on adolescents' physical and psychosocial health have been carried out in developed countries, in contrast; very few studies have been carried out in India. Therefore, this study was planned with the objective of finding out the extent and pattern of electronic media usage and its effect on psychosocial health of adolescents. Aims: The aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of electronic media usage among adolescents and to study the relationship of electronic media usage with psychosocial health of adolescents (10–17 years). Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive, community-based, cross-sectional study conducted in Mehrauli area of Delhi. Results: The mean age of 450 adolescents in the current study was a 13.85 ± 2.92 years, with majority (80%) belonging to nuclear families. Use of electronic media among study subjects was found to be 100%. Most of the psychosocial problems were reported more in subjects belonging to middle and late adolescent age groups. Aggression (42.89%), irritability (42.44%), and change in sleep pattern (39.33%) were commonly prevalent psychosocial problems among study subjects. Nearly 23% of adolescents reported with violent behavior, 17% feeling of loneliness, 13% peer problem, 10% had emotional problem, 10% were hyperactive, nearly 8% had conduct problem, nearly 7% reported with stress, anxiety, and low prosocial behavior, and 9% scored more than average for SDQ score. Only 4% had mild to moderate depression. Conclusion: Adolescents who spent the most overall time using electronic media had more behavioral problems. Duration of gadget use in our study was higher than the recommended, which is a matter of concern as it may have a detrimental effect on physical and psychosocial health of the adolescents.