Labrague, L. J. (2014). Facebook use and adolescents' emotional states of depression, anxiety,
and stress. Health Science Journal, 8(1), 80-89.
The Associate Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Samar State University,
which is located in the Philippines conducts a study in response to the growing influence of
Facebook on students, to look for correlations between Facebook use and three different
emotional states. These states are depression, anxiety, and stress. The sample size is very small
(76), and only nursing students. However, this study was done in response to empirical evidence,
and while it is limited in size and demographic, it does bring concrete evidence to the discussion.
While the study did not find any direct link between Facebook use and emotional states, it did
acknowledge that time spent on Facebook increases the likelihood of developing depression and
anxiety. This study can be used, as it does seem to be sound and other studies seem to have
similar findings, with no obvious conflicts of interest or bias, however due to its limitations, the
use of the information should also be similar limited, and thus is best used as a reference rather
than the foundation for arguments.
Robertson, L., Skegg, K., Poore, M., Williams, S., & Taylor, B. (2012). An adolescent suicide
cluster and the possible role of electronic communication technology. Crisis: The Journal Of
Crisis Intervention And Suicide Prevention, 33(4), 239-245.
The authors belong to various departments in the University of Otago, New Zealand. This
research paper includes one example of a suicide cluster. However, despite the limited sample
size, the authors use statistics to show that the probability of this suicide being chance is
incredibly small, as well as providing evidence and logic as to why their assertion, that
communication technologies have the potential to increase the size the size of suicide clusters, is
valid. Therefore it is a very strong reference, and should be used in tandem with the Center of
Disease Control’s guidelines for management of suicide clusters, as that is required reading for
this source. While this research paper’s primary purpose is to call attention to the specific
problem, the theories of suicide clusters can be related to other phenomenon, such as certain
media going “viral”, as in they share common observable effects. This article is a great stepping
stone for looking into the dangers of spreading information, as it provides a strong example of
how information can directly lead to an increase in suicide rates within a population.
Park, Y., Fritz, C., & Jex, S. M. (2011). Relationships between work-home segmentation and
psychological detachment from work: The role of communication technology use at home.
Journal Of Occupational Health Psychology, 16(4), 457-467.
This research paper from the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology describes what workhome segmentation is, introduces the idea of boundaries, and why psychological detachment
from work can improve quality of life. The role of communication technology use at home is
specific to workplace communication. The biggest drawback of this study, is that its solution to
the problem of the lack of work-home segmentation, boundaries, needs to have its long term
effects studied, through the use of longitudinal studies. While this does not invalidate this paper,
it reduces its usefulness as a permanent “cure” for the negative effects of communication
technologies, however, the creation of boundaries in order to establish work-home segmentation
is still proven to be effective in the short term. Additional research on boundaries and work-home
segmentation is necessary to fully understand these mechanisms, but this paper establishes a
strong causal relationship.