According to a new study by Child's Play Communications and Insight Research Group, kids spending "too much time" on the computer may not be as bad as parents think it is. The study shows three key
reasons how technology makes children feel better about themselves: It allows tweens (8-12) and teens (13-17) to master new skills, develop their identities and make new friends.
The study
found that 88% of kids who have created their own Web site agree that it made them proud of their abilities. In addition, 82% of those who created such sites feel that as a result it would be easy to
learn how to use new technologies. In comparison, 67% say that setting up a cell phone made them proud of their abilities, while 48% say the same about mixing and burning CDs.
In addition,
more than half of the children interviewed (58%) made new friends online. This includes 60% of those with lower self-esteem, suggesting that technology offers them an effective social outlet. More
teens than tweens (63% vs. 49%) made new friends.
"This study indicates that young people are actively using technology as a tool to do the job of growing up. Tweens and teens can and do
use technology to become more autonomous, socially connected and confident about themselves as individuals," said Stacey Matthias, partner at Insight Research Group. "Kids today are spending more time
with interactive technology than watching TV. Yet we haven't understood what impact that time use has on kids. This study goes beyond simply telling us what technology kids use to help us to
understand why they use it."
The phone survey was conducted in July 2003 and comprised a random sample of 500 households with children ages 8 to 17.