Therapists and school counselors no longer just meet with students in their offices. Now they check them out on Facebook.

Researchers are looking to Facebook, Twitter (News - Alert) and other social media to “hear cries for help” and to offer information and support, according to a story by Perri Klass, MD, at The New York Times.

Klass interviewed Dr. Megan Moreno, a specialist in adolescent medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who originally researched what kids said about themselves online, looking at “adolescents who displayed evidence of risky behaviors on public MySpace (News - Alert) profiles, posting photos or statements that referred to sexual activity or substance abuse.”

But her new research has found that social media may be an opening into improving both physical and mental health for adolescents.

By studying the ways college students describe sadness in status updates on their Facebook (News - Alert) profiles, Moreno was able to show that “some expressions were associated with depression in students who completed clinical screening tests,” according to Klass.

Since freshman year is a high-risk time for depression, many college resident advisers already try to use Facebook to monitor students, Dr. Moreno said in the story.

Some wonder, though, about the potential risk to privacy. Where does a patient’s and therapist’s privacy end or begin on such sites, John Grohol, PSYD, blogs at psychcentral.com. “How do patients and therapists navigate this brave new world of connectedness and ‘friending?’” he asks. He recommends developing a “social media policy,” where clear boundaries are set.

A story written two years ago by Maura Johnston explores whether “Facebook is now screwing up your therapy sessions, too”, bemoaning the fuzzy boundaries social media has now set up between therapist and client.

It’s clear social media is here to stay, and whether it’s a negative or a positive for your kids is pretty much up to you. But don’t discount what you can learn from their postings, if you’re privy to them. It’s a whole new world of parenting these days!

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Deborah DiSesa Hirsch is an award-winning health and technology writer who has worked for newspapers, magazines and IBM (News - Alert) in her 20-year career. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.