Listening to music linked to depression among teens, researchers find

By Staff Writer

Although listening to music can serve as a therapeutic activity for some individuals, a new study reveals that adolescents who spend an excessive amount of time listening to music over other pastimes are more likely to be depressed.

The report, which appears in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, was the first to measure the influence of media exposure on teens by utilizing ecological momentary assessment techniques. This method collects data in real time, as opposed to the reflective nature of a questionnaire.

A total of 106 teens, 46 of whom were diagnosed with major depressive disorder, participated in the study. Researchers contacted the participants as many as 60 times during five weekends over two months, and asked them to report their use of media, including television, movies, music, video games, magazines, books and the internet.

Researchers discovered that adolescents who were exposed to the most music were 8.3 times more likely to be depressed than those who listened to the least amount of music. The other activities were not significantly linked to the emotional disorder.

However, avid readers were less likely to be depressed than children who preferred the other activities. Compared to the participants with the least amount of time exposed to books, those who read books were one-tenth as likely to be depressed.

Adolescents who suffer from depression may benefit from wilderness therapy programs, which aim to provide help to troubled teens.