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LOS ANGELES: Teens who frequently use smartphones and other digital devices are at greater risk of developing attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD), a study found
ADHD is a brain disorder whose symptoms include a pattern of inattention, hyperactive behavior and impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, focuses on mental health. consequences of a new generation of ubiquitous digital entertainment, including social media, video streaming, text messaging, music downloads and online discussion forums, among others.
"What's new is that social media, mobile phones, tablets and mobile applications did not exist," said Adam Leventhal, a professor at the University of Southern California in the United States.
"New mobile technologies can provide quickly," Leventhal said:
Results have implications for parents, schools, tech companies and pediatricians concerned about the fact Techno-dependent teens are pushed to
Scientists began with 4100 eligible students aged 15 and 16 in 10 public schools in Los Angeles County.
They focused on teens because adolescence marks a time of onset of ADHD and unlimited access to digital. media, Leventhal explained. They forgave 2,587 participants by removing students for pre-existing symptoms of ADHD.
The goal of scientists was to begin with a clean slate to focus on the appearance of new symptoms manifested during the two-year study. how often they used 14 popular digital media platforms. They rated the frequency of media use in three categories: no use;
Scientists monitored students every six months between 2014 and 2016.
They sought to determine if the use of digital media in Grade 10 was associated with Grade 12 ADHD symptoms [19659007]. Finally, they found that 9.5% of the 114 children who used half of the digital media platforms frequently and 10.5% of the 51 children who used the 14 platforms frequently had new ADHD symptoms.
In contrast, 4.6% of the 495 students who were not frequent users of any digital activity exhibited symptoms of ADHD, close to background rates of the disorder in the general population.
"We can not confirm the causality of the study, but a statistically significant association." We can confidently say that adolescents who were exposed to higher levels of digital media were significantly more likely to develop symptoms of ADHD in the future, "he said.
Results help fill a void n understand how new mobile multimedia devices and seemingly limitless content options pose a risk to mental health
It serves as a warning when digital media becomes more widespread, faster and more challenging.
"This study raises the question of whether the proliferation of high performance digital media technologies could a new generation of young people at risk of developing ADHD, "said Leventhal
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