More Music, Less Reading in Kids With Depression

Study: Depressed Teens and Tweens Spend More Time Listening to Music, but Music Probably Isn't Causing the Depression
The amount of time a tween or teen spends listening to music appears to be associated with his risk of major depression, a new study shows according to a story by Brenda Goodman at WebMD.com.

Study researchers are quick to point out that the music probably isn’t causing the depression, although it may be a way for children to find refuge or connection when they’re feeling bad.

“It’s very important not to interpret this as something evil about music. In fact, it may actually be very helpful to people who are very depressed,” says study researcher Brian A. Primack, MD, assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

“I think the reason it was important to publish is because it is a very strong association,” Primack says.

In fact, Primack and his co-authors found that the most frequent music listeners in the study had more than eight times the odds of being depressed compared with those who listened the least.

The study wasn’t designed to measure total listening times, but based on previous research, Primack estimates that children in the highest-use group are probably plugged into their iPods or stereos for more than four or five hours a day.

“It’s an important thing to know about because it may help clinicians and parents and teachers to realize that very heavy use could be a marker for depression in some people,” he says.

The study also found that children who were depressed were less likely to read books, magazines, or newspapers, compared to children who weren’t depressed. That may suggest either that reading may have some protective effects against depression or that children who are depressed can’t concentrate long enough to engage in it.

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