Another day, another study about teens and technology. This time it’s a study from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, which says that teens who text a lot are also more likely to have sex, drink alcohol or use drugs. As if parents need another reason to limit their kids’ access to technology.
According to the Associated Press:
“Teens who text 120 times a day or more — and there seems to be a lot of them — are more likely to have had sex or used alcohol and drugs than kids who don’t send as many messages.”
The study took place at 20 public high schools in the Cleveland area last year, and compiled surveys of more than 4,200 students. Apparently, kids known as hyper-texters are more promiscuous.
But sitting in front of a computer screen for hours interacting with people is less likely to get you laid than texting. Those who are hyper-networkers, and spend three or more hours a day on social networking sites, were even more likely than hyper-texters to drink or fight. But less likely to be sexually active.
According to the AP: “Hyper-texting and hyper-networking were both more common among girls, minorities, kids whose parents have less education and students from a single-mother household, the study found.”
“Your arm gets tired, your ear gets sweaty,” said Ivanna, who also doesn’t like the awkward silences.
Those do not sound like the words of someone likely to be having a lot of sex anytime soon.
