Web-aholics anonymous: Study finds internet addiction growing more common
October 7, 2009
Taiwanese researchers who surveyed nearly 2,300 seventh-graders for signs of depression, ADHD, social phobia, and other mental health issues found that children who suffered from such issues were more likely to use the internet to the point of excess.
The study, which followed the middle school student over a period of two years, found that one in 10 suffered from what the researchers described as internet addiction. The researchers said that ADHD was the strongest predictor of internet addiction, while gender differences showed that hostility in boys and social phobia and depression in girls were also strong predictors.
The open and wildly variable nature of the internet makes it an attractive outlet for children with mild socialization issues. Michael Gilbert, a senior fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at the University of South Carolina told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that "[i]f you have a child that is hyperactive, the Internet can move at their pace. If you have a child that is depressed or has social phobia, they can get in touch with other kids dealing with the same kinds of issues."
The Taiwanese study cautioned that serious internet addiction could prove to be a real health hazard.
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