I was down at Yonge and Dundas Square for a total of one minute when I was bombarded. Teens on cell phones were everywhere, chatting, chewing gum, running to get across the street while making plans that apparently couldn’t wait. (Did I just age myself?) Keeping in touch with friends is one thing. Now, Sunnybrook researchers are hoping teens will use their cell phones to keep in touch with their own feelings, too.
Teens enrolling in a new nine-month study will be given specially equipped Motorola cell phones that will prompt them to fill out a daily mood questionnaire, and explain what’s affecting how they feel. Like that latest fight with their parents, or maybe losing last night’s soccer game. All this information is then sent back to Sunnybrook in real time, helping figure out what, if any, treatment the teen may need.
It’s a very cool idea, considering the majority of teens do own a cell phone. Adolescence is also the period when many mood disorders emerge. A typical part of treatment includes keeping a so-called mood journal, to track of all the ups and downs. The problem is, most teens have no interest in the handwritten “dear diary” approach. With this study, researchers want to find out if the cell phone is be a better alternative. I have a good feeling it will certainly be the ‘cooler’ option.
If you are between 14 and 20 and want more information on the study, click here.
