Inattention to Problematic Media Use Habits: Interaction Between Digital Media Use and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

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Key points

  • As digital media (DM) access continues to surge among youth, caregivers and clinicians are concerned about problems associated with its excessive use.

  • Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more at risk to experience negative effects on sleep, academic achievement, attention and cognitive skills.

  • Youth with ADHD are more likely to use DM excessively.

  • ADHD symptom severity and circumstances of DM access are among the factors that mediate these negative effects.

  • Several key

Media use habits among youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Children with ADHD experience problems with impulse regulation, time management, task organization, and prioritization. These children experience more difficulty in limiting and monitoring their own media use and tend to spend more time on video games (VGs) compared with healthy children.7 Similarly, children with ADHD tend to have more problematic play characteristics compared with the general population, resulting in frequent excessive media use. More severe ADHD symptoms correlate with lower

Effects of media use on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

In moderate amounts, and with appropriate supervision, DM may be a useful and convenient tool for social activity, communication, and education.15 DM offers a platform for fast social communication. Enhanced social bonding and expression may enrich a child’s social world in real life and enhance social competence.16 Conversely, problems in real life often persist into virtual life, leading to progressive interference with overall function. Therefore, the effects of DM use on attention problems

Psychopharmacological Treatments

Close association of excessive media use with ADHD symptoms suggests a valid opportunity for intervention. Indeed, excessive DM use among children with ADHD was shown to improve with stimulant treatment.38 Similarly, excessive Internet gaming habits were improved in individuals who received bupropion and escitalopram treatment. Although no information was available regarding presence or rate of comorbid mood or anxiety disorder diagnoses, a greater change in bupropion group was noted to

Summary

ADHD represents a significant risk factor for excessive DM use. Following new advances in communication technology, from smart phones to virtual reality, DM has become more ubiquitous and readily available. New digital frontiers demand caution from parents of children with ADHD and clinical monitoring from mental health professionals. Emerging research now provides important information for clinicians and caregivers developing a thoughtful approach to manage DM exposure in children at risk for

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    There are no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

    Disclosures: Research support from the Department of Defense (W81XWH-12-1-0510), Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, National Institutes of Health (5K23MH100450-02), Shriners Hospitals for Children, Lundbeck A/S, Pamlab LLC, Pfizer, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc, Magceutics, Inc; advisor/consultant: Jack Kent Cooke Foundation; employee: Massachusetts General Hospital, Shriners Hospitals for Children–Boston.

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