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Text messaging boosts parent-teen ties: Samsung survey

A new survey from Samsung Telecommunications America claims that text messaging has improved the relationship between parents and teens.

Not only are teens text messaging more than their parents, they're also transferring knowledge to them, the Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. said.

"Clearly, texting is a preferred way of communicating with teens and adults alike," said Bill Ogle, chief marketing officer of Samsung Telecommunications America. "This year's Mobile Matters survey affirmed that."

Teens send 455 text messages each month and receive 467, on average. This amounts to about 15 text messages sent and 16 received daily.

By contrast, parents send 84 text messages each month and get 96, on average.

Fifty-seven percent of the responding moms and dads who text said their kids have helped them become better texters.

Nearly 66 percent of the responding teens said their mom and dad are doing a fair or good job at texting.

More parent-teen communication is conducted through texting, Samsung found.

Sixty-eight percent of American parents communicate with their kids through text message. And 56 percent of teens age 13-19 said they communicate more often with their parents since they began text messaging.

The survey showed that 53 percent of teens that text message said their relationship with their parents has improved because of texting.

Also, 51 percent of parents who text message with their teens agree that they communicate more often with their kids now than they did before they began text messaging.

Kelton Research conducted the survey for Samsung by polling 300 teens age 13-19 and 500 U.S. parents with kids age 13-19.

"As phones become more sophisticated, such as video conferencing and social media applications, it will be interesting to see how mobile family communications continues to evolve," Mr. Ogle said.