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ADHD IN CHILDREN AND THE GROWING PROBLEM OF DIGITAL ADDICTIONS:
SOCIAL MEDIA AND VIDEO GAMES
Yana B ena
yanab ena @gmail.com
ABSTRACT
A en ion De ici Hype ac i i y Diso de (ADHD) is a common neu ode elopmen al diso de among child en and is
mani es ed by lack o a en ion, hype ac i i y and impulsi eness. The ecen yea s ha e seen he issue o social media
and ideo-game addic ion as a conce n due o widesp ead use o digi al echnologies especially in child en wi h
ADHD. S udies show ha he impulsi i y and he ewa d-seeking beha io s ha come wi h ADHD p edispose one o
ex eme sc een ime and digi al o e use. This pape discusses he connec ion be ween ADHD in child en and an
inc easing issue o digi al addic ions wi h a pa icula ocus on he beha io al, cogni i e, and social impac s. I also
poin s ou p e en ion and in e en ion s a egies such as pa en al ad ising, school policies and clinical ein o cing.
Knowing he in e ac ion be ween ADHD and exposu e o digi al media, ca egi e s, educa o s, and heal hca e
p o essionals will be able o ake app op ia e s eps o educe he isks and encou age child en o adop heal hie digi al
media habi s.
Keywo ds
ADHD, child en, social media addic ion, ideo games, digi al addic ion, beha io al diso de s
1. INTRODUCTION
A en ion De ici Hype ac i i y Diso de (ADHD) is a neu ode elopmen diso de , usually diagnosed du ing
childhood and p e alence o his diso de is abou 5-7 pe cen in child en a ound he wo ld (Ame ican Psychia ic
Associa ion, 2013). ADHD is a diso de ha is cha ac e ized by ina en ion, hype ac i i y, and impulsi i y, which may
g ea ly in e e e wi h academic success, socializa ion, and li e ac i i ies. Child en wi h ADHD usually ha e di icul y
in egula ion o sel , delayed g a i ica ion as well as sus aining a en ion, which makes hem mo e suscep ible o he
en i onmen al ac o s, which p o ide ins an s imula ion and g a i ica ion. Child en a e also becoming exposed o
many ypes o elec onic media in he digi al age and his is h ough social ne wo king si es and he ideo games.
Con inuous s imuli and ins an eedback a e some o he ea u es o hese echnologies and can be e y a ac i e o
ADHD child en. Al hough mode a e digi al use could help in he lea ning and social in e ac ion p ocess, excessi e
use can lead o beha io al, cogni i e and social challenges, which can a imes u n in o digi al o beha io al addic ions
(G i i hs, 2018). The lack o awa eness o he in e sec ion o digi al addic ions and ADHD has become he issue o
conce n in ecen esea ch. Unlike he a e age child, child en a ec ed by ADHD end o spend a lo o ime on ideo
games o social ne wo king pla o ms which a e associa ed wi h symp oms o i i abili y, sleeping p oblems, and a
loss o ocus on educa ion (Weiss e al., 2011). This inc eased ulne abili y can g ea ly be a ibu ed o he
neu obiological and beha io al a ibu es o ADHD such as impulsi i y, no el y-seeking, and he desi e o ge
g a i ica ion immedia ely. This a icle is aimed a s udying he ela ionship be ween ADHD in child en and he g owing
a es o digi al addic ions, paying a en ion o social media and ideo-game use. The pape also co e s he beha io al,
cogni i e and social impac o excessi e digi al in ol emen and how i can be p e en ed and in e ened h ough he
iden i ica ion o s a egies. The awa eness o such dynamics will enable ca egi e s, school educa o s, and medical
wo ke s o ake e idence-based s eps o educe isks and ensu e heal hy digi al habi s in child en wi h ADHD.
2. UNDERSTANDING ADHD IN CHILDREN
The e a e h ee ypes o ADHD, namely ina en i e, hype ac i e-impulsi e, and combined (Ame ican Psychia ic
Associa ion, 2013). Child en o he ina en i e sub ype ha e di icul ies mainly in main aining a en ion, ask
o ganiza ion, and ollowing di ec ions. Hype ac i e-impulsi e sub ype is cha ac e ized by oo much idge ing,
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es lessness, and making decisions impulsi ely. The combined sub ype shows signs o ina en ion and hype ac i i y-
impulsi i y.
2.1 Symp oms and Diagnosis
The Diagnos ic and S a is ical Manual o Men al Diso de s (DSM-5) p o ides he c i e ia ela ed o ADHD diagnosis,
such as pa e ns o pe sis en ina en ion o hype ac i i y-impulsi i y ha pe sis du ing a leas six mon hs and do no
p o ide social, academic, o occupa ional unc ioning (Ame ican Psychia ic Associa ion, 2013). Such beha io al
signs can be inabili y o comple e asks, cons an in e up ions, impa ience, and impulsi e beha io ha migh cause
sa e y issues.
2.2 Cogni i e and Emo ional Challenges
ADHD child en a e cha ac e ized by execu i e dys unc ions, such as di icul y in wo king memo y, ine icien
planning abili ies, and loss o sel -con ol (Ba kley, 2015). Emo ional dys egula ion can be cha ac e ized by ecu en
mood swings, us a ion o s ess inabili y o cope. Such emo ional and cogni i e di icul ies make one suscep ible o
he su oundings ha o e quick and epe i i e s imula ion as in he case o digi al media.
2.3 Impac on Academic and Social Li e
ADHD may impac un a o ably on academic pe o mance by missing o deadlines, incomple ion o wo k, lack o
concen a ion on lessons. Child en can ha e p oblems wi h keeping iends socially, ei he because hey a e impulsi e,
ina en i e, o dis up i e. A gumen s o e homewo k, sc een ime, and beha io al managemen usually cause mo e
s ess o amilies.
3. DIGITAL ADDICTIONS IN CHILDREN
Digi al addic ion is he s a e o obsessi e use o digi al de ices o he In e ne , which leads o poo pe o mance
(G i i hs, 2018). The mos common ypes o digi al addic ion among child en a e social media and ideo games.
3.1 Social Media Addic ion
The social media pla o ms p o ide immedia e g a i ica ion in he o m o likes, sha es, and no i ica ions, which
gene a ed a sys em o ewa ds ha suppo compulsi e use (And eassen e al., 2017). Child en can be p eoccupied
wi h social media, change o moods when es ic ed and igno e o he du ies.
3.2 Video Game Addic ion
O e whelming playing o ideo games may gi e ise o some o he symp oms o subs ance addic ion such as
wi hd awal, ole ance, and loss o con ol (Kuss & G i i hs, 2012). Video games a e usually ewa ding in he sho
e m, imme si e and o ganized challenge, which child en equi e o be s imula ed.
3.3 Neu opsychological E ec s
Online addic ions ha e e ec s on a en ion, memo y, and impulse con ol. Repea ed sc een ime will excessi ely
s imula e he ewa d sys ems in he b ain, hus s eng hening he compulsi e beha io (Weins ein and Lejoyeux, 2010).
Resea ch has also a ibu ed high le els o gaming and use o social media o anxie y, lack o sleep, and low g ades.
4. ADHD AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DIGITAL ADDICTIONS
Child en wi h ADHD a e pa icula ly suscep ible o digi al addic ions due o he in e play o neu obiological and
beha io al cha ac e is ics. Impulsi i y, no el y-seeking, and a heigh ened need o immedia e g a i ica ion make
digi al pla o ms especially engaging.
4.1 E idence om Resea ch
Resea ch shows ha child en wi h ADHD spend mo e ime on ideo games and social media compa ed o neu o ypical
pee s (Ko le e al., 2019). S udies indica e co ela ions be ween ADHD symp oms and p oblema ic in e ne use,
highligh ing he ulne abili y o hese child en o digi al o e use (Ho e al., 2014).
4.2 Beha io al Mechanisms
Video games and social media p o ide ins an ewa ds and p edic able eedback loops, which align wi h he dopamine-
d i en ewa d de iciencies obse ed in ADHD (Volkow e al., 2009). This ein o cemen encou ages p olonged
engagemen and educes mo i a ion o o line asks.
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Table 1: Co ela ion Be ween ADHD Symp oms and Digi al Use
ADHD Symp om
Likelihood o Excessi e Digi al Use
Key Risk Fac o
Ina en ion
Mode a e
Easily dis ac ed by in e ac i e s imuli
Hype ac i i y
High
Seeks cons an s imula ion
Impulsi i y
Ve y High
Di icul y delaying g a i ica ion
Emo ional Dys egula ion
High
Uses digi al pla o ms o sel -soo he
Figu e 1: ADHD Symp oms and Digi al Addic ion Pa hway
lowcha illus a ing ADHD symp oms → impulsi i y & ewa d-seeking → excessi e digi al media use →
beha io al and cogni i e consequences.
5. IMPACTS OF DIGITAL ADDICTIONS ON CHILDREN WITH ADHD
5.1 Beha io al Impac s
Excessi e digi al engagemen exace ba es ADHD symp oms, leading o inc eased i i abili y, es lessness, and
di icul y con olling impulses (Weiss e al., 2011). Sc een o e use may also dis up sleep pa e ns, wo sening a en ion
de ici s.
5.2 Cogni i e Impac s
O e s imula ion om ideo games and social media can impai execu i e unc ioning, wo king memo y, and sus ained
a en ion. Academic pe o mance may decline due o dis ac ions and educed engagemen in educa ional ac i i ies
(Swing e al., 2010).
5.3 Social Impac s
Digi al addic ions can lead o social isola ion, educed pee in e ac ion, and amily con lic s. Child en may p e e
online in e ac ions o e ace- o- ace communica ion, u he hinde ing social de elopmen (Kuss & G i i hs, 2012).
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6. PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS
6.1 Pa en al S a egies
Pa en s can mi iga e isks h ough s uc u ed sc een ime schedules, moni o ing digi al ac i i y, and encou aging
al e na i e o line ac i i ies such as spo s o c ea i e hobbies. Posi i e ein o cemen o balanced digi al use can also
be e ec i e.
6.2 School-Based S a egies
Schools can implemen digi al li e acy p og ams, educa e s uden s on esponsible media use, and p o ide suppo o
ADHD s uden s h ough indi idualized lea ning plans and s uc u ed class oom ac i i ies.
6.3 Clinical In e en ions
Beha io al he apy, including cogni i e-beha io al app oaches, can help child en wi h ADHD de elop sel - egula ion
skills and educe compulsi e digi al engagemen . In some cases, pha macological in e en ions may be necessa y o
manage co e ADHD symp oms (Ba kley, 2015).
Figu e 2: In eg a ed ADHD and Digi al Addic ion In e en ion Model
Pa en al, school, and clinical in e en ions wo king oge he o educe digi al addic ion and suppo ADHD
child en.
7. CONCLUSION
ADHD in child en signi ican ly inc eases ulne abili y o digi al addic ions, pa icula ly social media and ideo
games. Impulsi i y, hype ac i i y, and ewa d-seeking beha io s con ibu e o excessi e digi al engagemen , leading
o beha io al, cogni i e, and social consequences. Unde s anding his ela ionship is c i ical o ca egi e s, educa o s,
and heal hca e p o essionals. P e en i e s a egies, including s uc u ed sc een ime, educa ional in e en ions, and
clinical suppo , can mi iga e isks and p omo e heal hie digi al habi s. Fu u e esea ch should ocus on longi udinal
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s udies o be e unde s and causal mechanisms and de elop a ge ed in e en ions ha add ess bo h ADHD symp oms
and digi al addic ion endencies.
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