LOS ANGELES (KNX) — Texting is not the first thing that comes to mind when the phrase “mental health” comes up, but a study out of Cal State Fullerton found that Gen Z is finding mental and emotional support in their screen time.
Around the world, more than six billion texts are sent every single day, according to The Local Project. With that massive number in mind, Research Lead Tara Suwinyattichaporn began studying the impact of those messages, and found that many reduced stress and depression among students.
“Behaviorally, Gen Z and younger millennials tend to prefer texting over phone calls,” Suwinyattichaporn told KNX In Depth.
“And through texting they talk to each other and get social support and all of that are positive effects of texting on, particularly in my study, mental health.”
In their findings, Suwinyattichaporn’s team found that college-aged students who were getting more social support from friends and family members via "supportive texting" said that they feld “less stressed and isolated” compared to those who were not texting very often with friends and family.
In a release sharing the research group’s findings, Suwinyattichaporn said she decided to conduct the research after noticing that there was very little research available about the preferences of young people when it comes to counseling.
As it turns out, participants in her study said they were more likely to consult with an online counselor, or trust a loved one with their feelings via text than they would be in actually visiting a counselor or relative.
“Young people felt safe and protected from negative responses when engaging in counseling via texting,” Suwinyattichaiporn noted in the statement, explaining that texting offers more privacy and a lower risk of someone overhearing a personal conversation.
Suwinyattichaporn said her team's research isn't a one-stop for solving mental health topics, but she hopes that making people aware of the preferences and habits of young people will inspire their friends and relatives to check in on them with a text every so often.
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