A Six‐Year Longitudinal Study of Texting Trajectories During Adolescence
Keywords
Texting in adolescence, Adolescence, Media, Social Media
Abstract
This study examined growth trajectories of texting (and other media) over a 6‐year time period. Participants were 425 adolescents from Washington, USA (age 13 at Time 1, age 18 at Time 6; 48% male, 68% European American). Analyses suggested a curvilinear pattern for texting and social media use, with rates peaking during midadolescence. There was also considerable heterogeneity in trajectories of texting. A growth mixture model revealed four distinct classes of individuals: perpetuals (14%), decreasers (7%), moderates (68%), and increasers (11%). Higher levels of depression, being a male, and coming from a single‐parent family predicted being a “perpetual” texter. Perpetuals had the most problematic outcomes compared to other classes, including higher depression, anxiety, aggression, and poor relationships with fathers.
Original Publication Citation
Coyne, S. M., Padilla-Walker, L. M., & *Holmgren, H. G. (2018). A six-year longitudinal study of texting trajectories during adolescence. Child Development, 89, 58-65.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Coyne, Sarah; Padilla-Walker, Laura M.; and Holmgren, Hailey Elizabeth, "A Six‐Year Longitudinal Study of Texting Trajectories During Adolescence" (2017). Faculty Publications. 2304.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/2304
Document Type
Peer-Reviewed Article
Publication Date
2017-05-07
Permanent URL
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/5158
Language
English
College
Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Department
Family Life
Copyright Status
© 2017 The Authors