Researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology recently conducted a survey to test the correlation between Internet usage and depression among 216 undergraduate students.

Do you watch dozens of Youtube videos back-to-back? Do you check your e-mail compulsively? Do you find yourself switching frequently between applications? These are just some of the first signs that you may be suffering from depression.

Research shows these symptoms occur because people with depression are unable to concentrate. “This perhaps was to be expected: research by the psychologists Janet Morahan-Martin and Phyllis Schumacher has shown that frequent checking of e-mail may relate to high levels of anxiety, which itself correlates with depressive symptoms," the study's authors said.

Researchers want to develop software that would monitor Internet usage and alert the user when usage patterns show signs of depression. It could be an effective way to pre-diagnose depression. It could also be a tool for parents to monitor the mood-related internet usage patterns of children.

Do you think your child has Internet-usage patterns that show signs of depression?

Research from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that kids spend over 7.5 hours per day on the average using digital devices. First, with parental controls solutions such as Net Nanny, parents can monitor and control the time kids spend on the Internet. Second, if a child has few limitations on web browsing or app usage, they can get into trouble quickly.

We recommend parents get involved in their kid's digital lives to assist them if things are going awry, or to praise them when things are going well. Depression has many causes and our digital age seems to be a contributor in some cases.

I work for ContentWatch and all opinions expressed here are my own.