THMC Mental Health & Innovation Centre
ADHD and Dementia Assessment
緻安精神健康醫療創新中心
Mental Health Clinic Specializing
in ADHD and Mood Disorders
for Children and Adults
Open as Usual on Saturday Afternoons
網路、社群媒體
和遊戲成癮
Internet, Social Media and Gaming Addiction
Internet, social media and gaming addiction are behavioural addictions that is characterised by spending more and more time on the addictive beahviour, neglecting other aspects of life (e.g, studies, exercise, work, etc). Around 23.1% of adolescents are at high risk for Internet addiction [1]. Hong Kong has the highest number of adolescents reporting daily or above Internet use (68%) [2]. Gender may not play a key role in Internet gaming addiction. This can be an emerging trend when both genders have equal access to the Internet [3].
Internet, social media and gaming addiction are proliferating globally and leading to several negative aspects of adolescents' health, including physical activity, sleep quality, and depressive and anxiety symptoms [4]. 26.7% of those with Internet addiction also reported that they have had sleep-related difficulties [5]. A meta-analysis reported a significant and positive association between IA and attention deficit and hyperactivity, depression and anxiety [6].
Around 77.2% of these participants were receptive towards seeking medical treatment [7]. Our specialist in psychiatry offers cognitive behaviour therapy to help adolescents and their families to overcome addiction to the Internet, gaming and social media.
Source:
Academic papers in which Dr Roger Ho is one of the co-authors
[1] Nguyen TTP, Do HN, Vu TBT, Vu KL, Nguyen HD, Nguyen DT, Do HM, Nguyen NTT, La LTB, Doan LP, Nguyen TT, Nguyen HLT, Do HT, Latkin CA, Ho CSH, Ho RCM. Association of Individual and Neighborhood Characteristics to Problematic Internet Use among Youths and Adolescents: Evidence from Vietnam. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 23;20(3):2090. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032090. PMID: 36767455; PMCID: PMC9915430.
[2] Mak KK, Lai CM, Watanabe H, Kim DI, Bahar N, Ramos M, Young KS, Ho RC, Aum NR, Cheng C. Epidemiology of internet behaviors and addiction among adolescents in six Asian countries. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2014 Nov;17(11):720-8. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2014.0139. PMID: 25405785.
[3] Tran BX, Huong LT, Hinh ND, Nguyen LH, Le BN, Nong VM, Thuc VT, Tho TD, Latkin C, Zhang MW, Ho RC. A study on the influence of internet addiction and online interpersonal influences on health-related quality of life in young Vietnamese. BMC Public Health. 2017 Jan 31;17(1):138. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3983-z. PMID: 28143462; PMCID: PMC5282902.
[4] Dam VAT, Dao NG, Nguyen DC, Vu TMT, Boyer L, Auquier P, Fond G, Ho RCM, Ho CSH, Zhang MWB. Quality of life and mental health of adolescents: Relationships with social media addiction, Fear of Missing out, and stress associated with neglect and negative reactions by online peers. PLoS One. 2023 Jun 7;18(6):e0286766. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286766. PMID: 37285351; PMCID: PMC10246797.
[5] Zhang MWB, Tran BX, Huong LT, Hinh ND, Nguyen HLT, Tho TD, Latkin C, Ho RCM. Internet addiction and sleep quality among Vietnamese youths. Asian J Psychiatr. 2017 Aug;28:15-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2017.03.025. Epub 2017 Mar 18. PMID: 28784371.
[6] Ho RC, Zhang MW, Tsang TY, Toh AH, Pan F, Lu Y, Cheng C, Yip PS, Lam LT, Lai CM, Watanabe H, Mak KK. The association between internet addiction and psychiatric co-morbidity: a meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2014 Jun 20;14:183. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-14-183. PMID: 24947851; PMCID: PMC4082374.
[7] Nguyen TTP, Nguyen TT, Do HN, Vu TBT, Vu KL, Do HM, Nguyen NTT, Doan LP, Vu GT, Do HT, Nguyen SH, Latkin CA, Ho CSH, Ho RCM. Parent-Child Relationship Quality and Internet Use in a Developing Country: Adolescents' Perspectives. Front Psychol. 2022 Feb 28;13:847278. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.847278. PMID: 35295385; PMCID: PMC8918726.