Citation

Oster R, Richter L. J. Adolesc. Health 2022; 70(4): 528-530.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.12.018

PMID

35305790

Abstract

Concerns around youth mental health and safety have recently taken front stage because of pandemic-related upheavals in children's schooling, socializing, and access to school-based supports. The news media has helped draw much-needed attention to these issues and may have influenced recent boosts in federal funding for school-based mental health services. In the context of careful, credible reporting, we can feel confident that the public and policymakers have an accurate view of what is known about the state of youth mental health, including risk for substance use and its consequences. Unfortunately, some recent media coverage of research on these topics, especially as portrayed in news stories' headlines, underscore the all-too-common problem of misleading media representation of scientific research.

Misleading news coverage about research can pose a potential threat to youth health and well-being by offering summaries of research findings that (1) minimize a real and ongoing problem, (2) exaggerate the severity of a problem, or (3) distort the cause of a problem. Such coverage can divert scarce attention and resources away from pressing issues and the solutions most needed for addressing them...

Language: en