Girls do not text more than boys, but the way they use texting means they are more likely to become compulsive and that can lead to poorer grades, according to a new study.
“It appears that it is the compulsive nature of texting, rather than sheer frequency, that is problematic,” said lead researcher Kelly Lister-Landman from Delaware County Community College.
“Compulsive texting is more complex than frequency of texting. It involves trying and failing to cut back on texting, becoming defensive when challenged about the behavior, and feeling frustrated when one can’t do it,” said Lister-Landman.
Texting has become the preferred method of communication for young people. On average adolescents sent 167 texts a day, according to the Pew Research Center. Boys use technology to convey information – girls use it for social interaction.
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“Girls in this developmental stage also are more likely than boys to ruminate with others, or engage in obsessive, preoccupied thinking, across contexts. Therefore, it may be that the nature of the texts girls send and receive is more distracting, thus interfering with their academic adjustment,” said Lister-Landman.
Researchers said this is the first study to examine compulsive texting and its impact on academic performance. More than 400 students from Grades 8-11 were surveyed. The study was published by the American Psychological Association.
Six minutes
Texting can be disruptive, according to the study, and students in high school and university spend an average of six minutes on their studies before being distracted by social media and texting – leading to lower retention, decreased note-taking skills, and less ability to recall information.
Even though girls and boys send and receive the same numbers of texts every day, according to the study, girls were more distracted by what the texts said and they are more likely to ruminate on the messages. That can lead to poorer academic performance.
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection, offers these tips for adolescents on safe texting.
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