Media Time=Family Time: Positive Media Use in Families with Adolescents

The Significance of the Problem 

In the article, the main problem identified focuses on how families with adolescents use the media considering that the media has a major impact in shaping their character and thoughts. According to the article, the American society has faced a significant increase in the media usage among the adolescents considering that majority of them use the media for more than 7 hours a day. The issue of engaging in the press for many hours creates a wide range of problems associated with the fact they get addicted to the media. Given that adolescents face challenges based on their developmental changes regarding their identity, physical, social, and sexual development, the use of media may have significant effects on their growth and development. The problems created in this case are because the press provides a wide range of information some of which may present adverse effects on their development. Based on the problem identified, the article focuses on examining the use of real media in families. 

Definitions of Key Terms 

Media 

Media entails communication outlets that focus on the delivery of data and information to various audiences. According to the article, the press involves means or channels that are used in providing general communication within a given society. Electronic media is one of the common forms of media that is widely adopted in the world to pass different information to a wide range of audience in the society (Coyne, Padilla-Walker, Fraser, Fellows, & Day, 2014). 

Adolescence 

Adolescence refers to a transitional stage that involves physical, psychological changes and development. The onset of youth is at the puberty period extending up to the age of majority. Different societies have varying perceptions regarding their understanding on adolescence based on their thoughts and attitudes concerning the overall development of physical, biological, psychological, and emotional aspects within an individual. 

Family 

A family refers to a group of people that are related to either birth, marriage, or other forms of relationship that creates a unit group. The primary function of a family entails production and reproduction that involve biological and social aspects. There are different types of families that are defined by the nature of relationship existing amongst members of the given group. The categories include conjugal, matrifocal, extended, monogamous, polygamous, and blended family. 

Positive 

Positive entails constructive, positive, or helpful aspects that help in enhancing desirable attributes within a given situation. Engaging in positive thoughts and attitudes provides an avenue for obtaining productive and useful outcomes in an individual's life. 

Parenting 

Parenting entails the process of engaging in the promotion of the development of a child in both physical, emotional, intellectual, and social aspects. The child-rearing process begins from infancy to adulthood and requires the implementation critical parenting skills to help in obtaining positive impact. 

Sample/Methods and Findings 

In this article, the author focused on the implementation of a method that would assist in obtaining the appropriate findings regarding the critical aspect relating to the use of media in families. The study involves the use of participants from a longitudinal study of family life that included approximately 633 families (Coyne, Padilla-Walker, Fraser, Fellows, & Day, 2014). The participants from these families engaged in an interview that was videotaped in a bid to obtain the desired results. Additionally, the participants completed some questionnaires that sought to provide accurate information regarding the positive media use in families with adolescents. Based on the nature of data collection methods used, some measures were put in place in a bid to have a proper assessment of how families use the media to connect and communicate with each other. Findings from the study indicated that positive media use had a significant impact on general family functioning based on parent involvement. The qualitative results from the survey showed that majority of families in the society use the media in diverse ways such as entertainment, the emotional connection among others reasons. 

Critical Analysis 

According to the article, the family systems theory maintains that the media can be used in diverse ways to make a significant impact on families. The effect of the real press in families focuses on the creation of a collective memory based on the use of media in celebrations, discussions among other platforms. The empirical research focused on analyzing how families integrate the use of media in their life as part of enhancing their interaction based on factors such as parental monitoring of the press. Majority of families in the society tend to engage in the positive use of the media to focus on building the character and personalities of the children. In this case, the role of the parents is ensuring that they monitor the use of media. Additionally, approximately 82% of families engaging in the positive use of the press had constant discussions regarding the themes and values portrayed in the media as part of ensuring that their adolescents understood how the media operated (Coyne, Padilla-Walker, Fraser, Fellows, & Day, 2014). 

Conclusion and Recommendations 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, Media plays an important role in the society by shaping various aspects relating to the organization including values and principle. It is, therefore, necessary to capitalize on the positive use of the media to obtain a desired outcome. There are different factors involved in the discussion regarding the use of media in families with adolescents considering the developmental changes experienced by such individuals in the society. The study involving participants from different families indicated that positive use of the media had a significant impact on the overall well-being of families. Majority of families in the society tend to engage in the positive use of the media to focus on building the character and personalities of the children. Recommendations 

To capitalize on the positive use of the media, it is relevant to focus on some factors that ensure that parents are in a position to instill the value of positivity while concentrating on the use of media in the society. The first recommendation would entail providing that parents are involved in discussions with their adolescents on matters regarding the use of the media to obtain more adolescents disclosure. Discussions with the adolescents helps in obtaining their thoughts and positions regarding the content displayed within the media. The second recommendation would focus on parental monitoring as part of building a secure connection with the adolescents in matters regarding their thoughts attitudes regarding the use and impact of the media in family lives. 

Applications to the Clinical Knowledge 

Considering that the study concerns about families with adolescents, the most important factor to note is that its media can have a significant influence on the development of the adolescents as they transit within different stages in life. The health issue in an adolescent is a critical factor considering the emotional, physical, sexual, and psychological changes experienced by the adolescents. In this case, the positive use of the media helps in improving the health factors based on decisive engagements and monitoring that allows the individuals to learn about how to live positively. Parents play a significant role in ensuring that the media does not have negative impact on their adolescents through the implementation of factors such as monitoring and conducting discussions regarding how to use media positively. This means that positive use of the media has a relationship with positive health developments among the adolescents. 

Reference  

Coyne, S. M., Padilla-Walker, L. M., Fraser, A. M., Fellows, K., & Day, R. D. (2014). “Media Time= Family Time” Positive Media Use in Families With Adolescents.  Journal of Adolescent Research ,  29 (5), 663-688.