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Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use Community of Interest

The Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use Community of Interest brings together addiction and mental health service providers, researchers and subject matter experts in the fields of gambling, technology/Internet use and video gaming to collaborate and share knowledge on emerging trends and clinical best practices.

Tagged With "cell phones"

Discussion Topic

Cell Phones in Classrooms

Registered Member ·
Well, it's back to school time so it got me thinking about the ongoing challenge educators have with how to deal with cell phone use in classrooms. Maclean's magazine featured an article, "Should schools welcome cell phones in class?" by Michelle McQuigge. She wrote that research indicates that incorporating cell phones into class with guidelines and teaching students when and how to use the technology appropriately is more effective than banning the cell phones from class altogether. What...
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RCMP Youth Trends Report Fall 2018

Registered Member ·
This was forwarded to me, via email, and i am passing it along. There is a lot of great information to help us understand our youth and technology better.
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Lots of video gaming online: problem ?

Registered Member ·
hi there - my 20 year old son is playing a lot of video games online. It is a social thing as he is almost always talking to people around the world that are his friends on the different games. He can play in the night, wake up, have breakfast, sleep for a while, and not be on til the next night. He is in college and has been working part time too, but not so much as school is back. He has friends in our home location he sees in person very often during the week. But when he is not online on...
Discussion Topic

60 minutes interview

Registered Member ·
CBS reviews research that is being done on the impact of screen time on youth This is how CBS introduces this segment on their website: "If you have kids and wonder if all that time they spend on their smartphones endlessly scrolling, snapping and texting is affecting their brains, you might want to put down your own phone and pay attention" They interview several researchers who are spearheading different studies on the impact of screen time on our brains and the impact of the "bells and...
Discussion Topic

The first long-term study on how screen time affects children's brains

Registered Member ·
The National Institutes of Health are currently conducting a study on over 11,000 children to look at the long-term effects of screen time. Preliminary findings show that children who use screens for more than 2 hours a day score lower on language and thinking skills. It will be interesting to see what else is uncovered as this study continues, including whether changes are dependent on what the screen is being used for and/or on the child's developmental stage. Read the full article here .
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Patterns of compulsive smartphone use suggest how to kick the habit

Registered Member ·
Researchers at the University of Washington conducted in-depth interviews to learn why we compulsively check our phones. They found a series of triggers, common across age groups, that start and end habitual smartphone use. In general, interviewees (n=39) had four common triggers for starting to compulsively use their phones: During unoccupied moments, like waiting for a friend to show up, Before or during tedious and repetitive tasks When in socially awkward situations When they anticipated...
Discussion Topic

Sleep problems in teenagers reversed in just one week by limiting screen use

Registered Member ·
Sleep in teenagers can be improved by just one week of limiting their evening exposure to light-emitting screens on phones, tablets and computers. The study indicates that by simply limiting their exposure to blue-light emitting devices in the evening, adolescents can improve their sleep quality and reduce symptoms of fatigue, lack of concentration and bad mood, after just one week. Those who had more than 4 hours per day of screen time had on average 30 minutes later sleep onset and wake up...
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Too much screen time for the kids? Grandparents may also be complicit

Registered Member ·
Grandparents have long been associated with letting their grandchildren do things their parents would never permit. Candy. Extended bedtime. Too much television. Carefree fun. They like to spoil their grandchildren. A new study by Rutgers and other researchers finds that today's grandparents are still true to their traditional fun-loving image -- allowing their grandchildren, while under their supervision, to spend about half of their time on a mobile phone, tablet, computer or TV. The study...
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Re: Teens in Urban Regions Are More Likely To Experience Problem Video Gaming

Registered Member ·
Great question @Registered Member. I wonder as gaming and smart phone use get more recognition, there will be more references in pop culture, which will in turn bring more awareness to the issues. Just this month in GQ magazine, there was an article on cutting back on smart phone use that included several practical strategies including turning your phone to grey scale. Apparently seeing apps/pictures/games etc in grey scale is less appealing and people were found to reduce their phone screen...
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Re: ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use

Registered Member ·
I'm happy to share my experience, Suzie. It's a long story (I actually wrote a book about it). I did see my son exhibit ADHD symptoms during his worst crisis period with video gaming addiction and we can talk about that. How about we speak over the phone rather than on this forum. Please email me ar ElaineUskoski@gmail.com and we'll set up a time to talk that works for both of us.
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Re: Lots of video gaming online: problem ?

Registered Member ·
Hi Suzie, Thanks for joining our community and posting your question. ConnexOntario is a great resource for information about referrals for mental health and addiction services that you and/or your son can access. You can reach them through online chat or email at https://www.connexontario.ca/ or by phone at 1-866-531-2600. If you reside outside of Ontario, they also provide a list of services in Canada and internationally: http://www.connexontario.ca/Home/Links . Since you mentioned that...
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Re: The first long-term study on how screen time affects children's brains

Registered Member ·
It will be interesting to see if they control for things like income and other social determinants of health. I have a sense that it might be more likely for parents with fewer resources to use the phone/TV as a coping strategy, especially if they don't have as much support as other more affluent parents.
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Re: The first long-term study on how screen time affects children's brains

Registered Member ·
Hi Nimira, You make an excellent point. Another thing to consider, on the opposite spectrum, is that many middle class to upper class schools now utilize tablets and laptops as part of the school curriculum. Does the content matter? Or is it just screen time. I wonder if the added family resources outside of school, that may support vacations, hobbies and sports (events away from screen time) and resources that support enhanced learning, is large enough to combat the effects of increased...
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Re: The first long-term study on how screen time affects children's brains

Registered Member ·
I was just about to say that Aaron! Content matters! This has been an ongoing debate and I'm afraid I'm on the pro-screen time. I find these studies skewed... "If you give a child an app where they play with virtual Legos, virtual blocks, and stack them, and then put real blocks in front of them, they start all over," Why would you test block-building capacity and say this skill isn't transferable when using real blocks? Seems pretty obvious. I'm sure if you tested for non gross motor skills...
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Re: "An age-by-age guide to kids and smartphones"

Registered Member ·
Thanks for your responses, Tiffany and Rebecca! I totally agree that it is important to also consider what the screens are being used for and for parents to set an example. I don't have experience working with children with problem technology use (PTU), but I do have some experience working with youth and emerging adults with PTU. Some additional strategies that I have seen to be effective in clinical practice with this population include: -using apps that block access to certain sites (such...
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Re: Can anyone suggest an gambling clinical practice guide, that incorporates "cultural competency" on the idea of "lucky?"

Registered Member ·
Hello Bill, Please find the attached document, "A Guide for Counsellors Working with Problem Gambling Clients from Ethno-cultural Communities." On page 16 there is content related to your question. Best, Lisa
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Re: Cell Phones in Classrooms

Registered Member ·
Here's a great video that was sent to me this week that demonstrates what is happening in the iGen period, and some sage advice on how to live without becoming enslaved by your cell phone. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=...amp;feature=youtu.be
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Re: Patterns of compulsive smartphone use suggest how to kick the habit

Registered Member ·
One year ago today, while ill and in quarantine for weeks, after returning from a vacation quite ill, I found myself becoming far too dependent on my phone because I felt so isolated. And I realized that this wasn't the beginning of my phone dependency. Through the years my son was struggling through the toughest part of his video gaming addiction recovery, I continually checked my phone for messages from him. He needed a lot of support. And I was never far from my phone. It was during that...
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Re: Patterns of compulsive smartphone use suggest how to kick the habit

Registered Member ·
Thanks for sharing that Elaine! I need to watch how much time I'm on my cell phone. When my 'smart phone' tells me how many hours I've been on a week I get a wake up call!
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Re: CTV interview Should addiction to video games be considered a disease?

Registered Member ·
This is an article that features the concerns some scholars have about gaming being included in the ICD-11: "Scholars' open debate paper on the World Health Organization ICD-11 Gaming Disorder proposal"
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Re: Research on Parent-Child "Technoference"

Registered Member ·
Thanks for your question, Sylvia. According to the authors, the term technoference was coined by McDaniel and Coyne (2016) and refers to interruptions in interpersonal interactions or time spent together due to technology. This can include sending texts or emails, checking your phone or social media, and even picking up a phone call or answering a text during a conversation with your child (although this is not limited just to the parent-child relationship but to other relationships in your...
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Re: Research/Stats on Professional Gamblers and their income

Registered Member ·
Hi Shannon, This article we published in 2013 is dated but has information income from a small US sample of professional gamblers. I hope it helps. It's a starting point. Jeremiah
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Re: Movies on problem gambling, gaming & tech use

Registered Member ·
Amazing @Registered Member! Thank you so much, I have already downloaded a copy (and attached here in case others are curious to check it out). Also, I would welcome an updated article.
Discussion Topic

Webinar Recording (+ answers to your questions) - Teens and Smartphones

Registered Member ·
Thank you to all of you who came to this weeks' webinar: Teens and Smartphones: Exploring young peoples’ views of smartphone etiquette, ‘addiction’ and healthy tech use habits. You can watch a recording and download the slides here by toggling to the 'Archive' tab on this page (the recording begins around the five-minute mark). I answered several of your questions during the session but wasn't able to answer all questions so have tried to do so below. Thanks again to everyone who came, it...
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Re: Problem Gaming Q&A with Elaine Uskoski (May 6-7, 2021)

Registered Member ·
Thanks for asking me to be a part of this event, Marie-Claire. I'm happy to answer questions in order to help others have a good understanding of gaming addiction from mine and my son's experience. Q What were some of the things that you and Jake worked on together during that time when he was first stopping/reducing his video gaming? A The first time Jake detoxed from gaming, after he had time to rest and get back on a regular sleep cycle, he joined me in morning fitness classes in order to...
Discussion Topic

Book recommendation: 'The Shallows: What the internet is doing to our brains' by Nicholas Carr

Registered Member ·
For those of you interested in the ways technology affects our brain and behaviour, I highly recommend ' The Shallows: What the internet is doing to our brains' by Nicholas Carr . A new 2020 edition of this book has been published and it summarizes a lot of the key literature and thinking on how the internet has changed our attention and memory processing. I've been thinking and writing a lot about deep, focused work - which can feel like a lost art some days when we feel like we're being...
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Re: Interesting article on sports betting

Registered Member ·
Great article Steve. This quote caught my eye: “For adult fans who want to bet in legal markets on sports, have products and partners that serve them best in class and advance their experience,” Halpin said in a phone interview this offseason. “And on the flip side, don’t alienate the fan like my mother who doesn’t want sports betting in her national CBS broadcast.” I think it's interesting that they're thinking about how much they advertise it and the perception it might have. Like you...
Discussion Topic

Cybersickness: Emerging thoughts and research

Registered Member ·
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in screentime for many of us, including how we work, shop, socialise etc. With this rise in screentime, some of us are beginning to experience negative physical effects such as nausea, headaches and eye strain. Cybersickness is receiving increasing attention from researchers and the media as tech continues to develop. This article from The Converation describes Cybersickness as the following: " Cybersickness refers to a cluster of symptoms that...
Discussion Topic

User testing survey - Self Management App for Recovery from Gambling

Registered Member ·
Justice and Equity Lab, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital Our lab is creating a self-management app for problem gambling called SPRinG (Supporting People Recovering from Problem Gambling). The SPRinG app is currently being developed to help, first and foremost, persons experiencing poverty and homelessness self-manage their problem gambling and other complex needs by providing people with constant access to support through their smartphone. The app will also...
Discussion Topic

App User testing - Supporting people recovering from problem gambling

Registered Member ·
Hi everyone, A research team at St. Michael’s Hospital has been working with the community to design and develop a self-management app to help people in their recovery from problem gambling. We are entering the user testing phase. The purpose of user testing is to help inform the next phase of app design. We are asking people to answer a 16-question survey. We would greatly appreciate it if you could share the survey link ( https://redcap.utoronto.ca/surveys/?s=CYPWHAAJCHHRCK9D ) with people...
Discussion Topic

Canada-focused resources for keeping youth safe online

Registered Member ·
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection has two excellent resources for parents, caregivers and professionals who would like more information about keeping children and youth safe online. Protectkidsonline.ca has a range of information covering issues such as cyberbullying , exploitation , healthy relationships and online boundaries. This site also separates information by age brackets so information is tailored for children and young people aged 5-7, 8-10, 11-12 and 13-15 years.
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Re: Anxiety, loneliness and Fear of Missing Out: The impact of social media on young people’s mental health

Registered Member ·
The urges absolutely happen! I myself can go through phases where I am more mindful then others. I see many people as well in my personal life/ work life feeling the need to "check their phone". Great to discuss from an early age when its a "good time" to review your social media/ phone as to when it may be more beneficial to absorb the moment we are in.
Discussion Topic

Is Social Media Hurting Your Mental Health?

Registered Member ·
Is Social Media Hurting Your Mental Health? | Bailey Parnell | TEDxRyersonU - YouTube This video focuses on how social media can have long term impacts on our mental health when our usage of it goes unchecked. Bailey Parnell talks about how the content that we consume on social media can cause us to compare our day to day lives to others "highlight reels" on social media, even when other people are individuals that we know. Understanding how these experiences of comparison affect individuals...
Discussion Topic

Problematic Online Behaviors Among Gamers

Registered Member ·
Article posted for COI was: Rozgonjuk, Dmitri & Schivinski, Bruno & Pontes, Halley & Montag, Christian. (2022). Correction to: Problematic Online Behaviors Among Gamers: the Links Between Problematic Gaming, Gambling, Shopping, Pornography Use, and Social Networking. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. Accessed May 16, 2022 at https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11469-021-00590-3.pdf Three Bullet Points – How Article Relates to Gaming Behaviors listed...
Discussion Topic

Therapist Survey on covid impact training needs

Registered Member ·
Research and knowledge exchange opportunity Dear EENET members: We are still conducting our survey of the impact of Covid on treatment services and service providors. Please click on the link below to participate in this anonymous survey. I've also attached a summary of the results from the first round of this survey as feedback to the EENet community. Original post. Dr. Nigel Turner at CAMH is conducting a short survey aimed towards at clinicians who help people with addictions and mental...
Discussion Topic

Phubbing

Registered Member ·
Video Phubbing (Phone Snubbing) – A 3:55 minute interview with Dr. Suzanne Degges-White, Relationship Expert, Northern Illinois University by WGN Evening News (Chicago) on April 6, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2022 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyiOQq3lwgM How it relates to problem social media use Phubbing (ignoring other individuals by using a mobile phone during a face-to-face conversation) is a result of smartphone use and is noteworthy because it can impair communication between the...
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Re: Phubbing

Registered Member ·
I agree that the mere presence of a phone on a table is a distraction and creates distance. Astute statement: instead of asking them to put the phone away, we just pick up our phone instead.
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Re: Phubbing

Registered Member ·
Wow! This is interesting. I totally agree that using a phone when with someone is like not being fully present. Many of us do this without thinking of the impact of a seemingly trivial action. We do this with other things too, like eating and scrolling, etc. We live in a distracted and multi-tasking world. No judgment but there are implications. We are never fully present in whatever we do and go through all of life never being fully present and then come to the end of life, and wonder where...
Discussion Topic

Turning off notifications, does it actually help?

Registered Member ·
With the constant bombardment of notifications from our phones many of us feel the need to distance ourselves from these distracting alerts. So instinctively it makes sense to turn them off so we check our phones less. However, a recent study by Liao and Sundar (2022) presented research that may call into question this practice. The authors used an app to track 138 iPhone users for four days. The app tracked: Whether notifications were turned on or off The number of notifications...
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Re: Turning off notifications, does it actually help?

Registered Member ·
It's so funny, I find that when my phone is on silent I check it more than if it's in front of me and I can see what notifications are popping up (and can dismiss them or open them). This was what a lot of high school students said when I was working with them and we asked them to keep their phones out of sight, it's almost like the FOMO was too much and they felt better keeping them in view. Like Peter, I feel better when I switch notifications off for most of my apps and only have the most...
Discussion Topic

Screen Time - effects on the social, cognitive and emotional development of children and youth

Registered Member ·
https://informedfutures.org/wp...tive-development.pdf ; The article speaks to the effects of ‘screen time’ on the emotional, social and cognitive development of children and youth, including gaming, social media, and educational type virtual activities – both positive and negative. It mentions some emerging evidence on structural changes within the brain associated with increased use and how it relates to non-educational screen time. It mentions a factor around ‘stimulation overload’...
Event

Breaking Up with Your Phone

Discussion Topic

Is Facebook creating "iDisorders" ?

Registered Member ·
1. This article dated back in January 2013, focusing on the technological use of various means and media on symptomology of mood disorders and examines the impact of attitudes toward technology and multitasking in addition to tech related anxiety around the inability to check devices as frequently as desired. 2. "iDIsorders" was defined as "...the negative relationship between technology usage and psychological health", suggesting implications around heightened usage being negative. 3. In...
Discussion Topic

Internet gaming disorder in an adolescent during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case report

Registered Member ·
1. This case study reports the case of a 16-year-old student with a "typical" pattern of internet gaming disorder (IGD) developed during the pandemic, which improved after weeks of treatment with pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions 2. This study suggest that the combination of pharmacological treatment such as antidepressants (SSRI) and antipsychotics with individual and family-focused psychosocial interventions are useful in improving problematic behaviors. 3.This study pointed...
Discussion Topic

"Why Your Phone is Making You Sad"

Registered Member ·
This was an interesting video I came across recently. I'm working in the field of Problem Gambling & Tech Use, and this is particularly related to problem tech use - primarily using their phone. It shares some emerging trends in how much people use their phones, what might qualify as an addiction, and also some helpful evidence-based strategies to try for people who may have problems with their phone use. This is a video I may consider sharing with my clients with problematic phone use.
Discussion Topic

PTU academic performance and school connectedness among adolescents

Registered Member ·
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8871851/ Background: Little is known about the association between problem technology use in adolescents and school-related outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of problem technology use and examine its association with academic performance and school connectedness in a sample of students across Ontario, Canada. Methods: Self-reported data from a sample of 4837 students in grades 9 to 12 (mean age: 15.9 years; 49.5%...
Discussion Topic

IPTU Fall 2023 TEDtalk- Technology Addiction and What you can do about it

Registered Member ·
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0adeZP6aDQw TEDtalk- Technology Addiction and What you can do about it. Ben Halpert TEDxSaintThomas (2015) Entertaining Talk about h ow society is guiding children from infancy to adolescence raised on technology- in many aspects of their lives and ways to balance technology use to prevent overuse and addiction. This is very applicable to the course as it highlights common themes that people may take for granted without considering the consequences. Ben...
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Re: Leisure time activities in adolescents predict problematic technology use

Registered Member ·
Really interesting insights Sharon! I think this might be worth thinking about how society has changed. It used to be unstructured time when technology wasn't as prevalent meant kids would go outside and play with the neighbors or their friends and learn how to socialize/interact in person there. With the rise of technology, it's less effort to just socialize at home on your phone/computer for the same effect and there might be fewer kids out and about to go and socialize in person even if...
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Re: How to Do a Digital Detox Without Unplugging Completely

Registered Member ·
Sandie- I like this article- the 7 tips on harm reduction are helpful- and manageable. Who knew you could get a basic phone ( text, calls). The tip of having no cell/tech zones is good too- like not at the dinner table, sop people can actually talk etc. Another to consider? when guests come to your house to socialize, everyone put phones in a dish at the front door. Leave them turned on, in case of an emergency.
 
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