ym360 Trends and Culture Update (Vol 4)

At ym360, we're committed to equipping youth workers. While most of our energy is dedicated to doing this in the areas of Bible Study Resources and Training, we believe it's valuable for youth workers and parents to stay in the loop on what is happening in youth culture and culture in general. (Read why we think it's important here.) A couple times a month, we'll do a post like this one, where we link to relevant articles and studies that give you a better glimpse into the world teenagers are living in. We'd love to know that we're not just equipping you, but those you serve, as well. Consider using this article to equip your community in the following ways:

• Email this link to your adult volunteers
• Repost it on your blog or church website
• Email the link to all your parents to help equip them to better understand their teen's world

Without further ado, here are some relevant links we think you should know about.

All Things Social Media/Technology

• This new study finds that teenagers who text 120 times a day or more (called "hypertexters") are more likely to have had sex or used alcohol and drugs than kids who don't send as many messages. The study finds a correlation between the amount of texts sent and these behaviors, not a direct cause, so the findings must be understood that way. (In other words juts because a student is a "hypertexter" doesn't mean he or she is doing drugs and having sex.) But, it is interesting stuff, nonetheless.
• Want to earn SERIOUS brownie points with your students' parents? Pass along this link where they can download a 30 page PDF of ConnectSafely's "A Parent's Guide to Facebook", aimed at helping parents navigate the relationship between their children and their children's involvement in Facebook.
• Location based services have not caught on yet . . . at all. In fact, only 4% of Americans use them.
• Smartphones aren't going anywhere anytime soon. 80.5 million smartphones were sold worldwide in the third quarter of 2010, a 96% increase compared to the same period last year. Nokia is first, the Android platform second, and the iPhone third.
• Here is something really cool. Hasbro has developed 3D goggles for use on the iPhone and iTouch. The application? 3D gaming and other 35 content.

A Glance At Recent Research

• Research shows that kids know when their parents are stressed out even when parents try and hide it. 91% of the 1,136 young people ages 8-17 surveyed say they can tell when mom and dad are stressing.
• New study shows that teen girls are more likely to have unprotected sex that teen boys. The study shows that teen girls were 30% less likely than teen boys to use protection during their first sexual encounter.
• Research shows what those who work with teenagers have long suspected: oral sex is a gateway to full-on sexual activity. The study shows that most teens who engage in oral sex for the first time will have sexual intercourse within six months. As we seek to teach teenagers a biblical ethic for sex and sexual expression, it must be couched in the pursuit of holiness.
• Study shows that almost half of adolescents treated for major depression have a recurrence within five years. The rates of relapse are higher among girls.

The World of Pop-Culture/Entertainment

• The kid/teen friendly Megamind won big at the box office last weekend. The Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, & Tina Fey vehicle brought in 47.7 million dollars. I haven't seen it, but several of the 7th graders in my small group had and were riffing many of the one liners during our last meeting.
• Billboard's Hot 100 singles: Ke$ha is on top (that little dollar sign is so charming, don't you think? [Sigh . . .]) with "We R Who We R," followed by Far*East Movement Featuring Cataracs & Dev with "Like A G6"
• It's kind of a feel good moment: Dakota Fanning crowned her homecoming queen at her high school. Now, I don't know anything about Fanning. But, I do know that it's kind of refreshing in a world where we have to watch Miley Cyrus plan her dive into debauchery as a marketing stunt to distance herself from her cutesy Hannah Montana roots, it's nice to see a celebrity teenager living like most other "normal" teens. Fanning cheers on her cheerleading squad and is otherwise pretty involved in her high school activities. I say good for her and for her parents.

That's it for this edition of the ym360 Trends & Culture report. Look for another one the week of November 22.

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Any specific study or link stand out to you? Disagree with anything? Let us know by sharing your thoughts below.