Media education in pediatric residencies: a national survey.

Background: Little is known about the current state of residency education with respect to counseling parents about media usage and whether trainees consider it to be adequate.

Methods: A national survey of graduating pediatric residents was conducted in the United States to determine the amount of training they receive on traditional and new media, their perceptions of its quality, and their self-reported practices regarding talking to families about media usage.

Results: A 58% response rate was achieved with no evidence of response bias based on age or gender.

Social networking and adolescents.

Online social networking is a 21st century innovation increasingly embraced by today's young people. It provides new opportunities for communication that expand an adolescent's world. Yet adults, often suspicious of new trends and technologies initially embraced by youth, often see these new environments as perilous places to visit.