By: Maya Listman

Kids will be kids and teens will be teens. Technology and social media have become a huge part of teens’ lives. And now, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association, teenage girls who compulsively text are more likely to underperform academically, as opposed their male counterparts.

Research led by Kelly M. Lister-Landman, PhD, of Delaware County Community College, found that while teen boys and girls send text messages with the same frequency - teens send an average of 167 text messages per day - texting serves a different purpose for girls than it does boys. Prior research has shown that boys use the Internet to convey information, while girls use it for social interactions and to nurture relationships. "Girls in this developmental stage also are more likely than boys to ruminate with others, or engage in obsessive, preoccupied thinking, across contexts,” Dr. Lister-Landman added. This creates distractions from their schoolwork, and thus their academic performance is lowered.

Take this as an opportunity to talk to your nieces and even nephews about their texting habits. While of course we can’t tell them to stop communicating with their friends, explain to them why taking a texting break here and there may be to their benefit.

Photo: dolgachov
Published: October 13, 2015