Social networking sites such as Facebook may cause depression in vulnerable teenagers who feel shunned, and parents should carefully monitor their child’s use of the website, according to new guidelines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and reported by the Daily Mail.
According to the new AAP publication, online harassment "can cause profound psycho-social outcomes" and the effects of being shut-out by peers online may actually be more pronounced than in real life, especially without the context provided by body language and facial expressions.
Social networking sites can also "interfere with homework, sleep and physical activity," warns lead researcher Dr Gwenn O’Keeffe.
"Parents need to understand these technologies so they can relate to their children’s online world – and comfortably parent in that world."
According to a separate study by Dr. Megan Moreno, an adolescent medicine specialist at the University of Wisconsin, Facebook may actually help to promote self-esteem and enhance social connections among some children, even as it can cause problems for teens who are prone to depression.