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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 "social media"

Discussion Topic

Research on Parent-Child "Technoference"

Registered Member ·
A recent research article published in the journal Pediatric Research looks at the effects of "technoference" (defined as digital/mobile technology use that interrupts interpersonal relationships) in a parent-child relationship. Here are some interesting findings from the study that looked at technoference in 183 couples & their children over a 6-month period: 55.5% of mothers and 43.0% of fathers reported having two or more technology devices that interrupt activities with their child...
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Resilience and Coping Strategies for Social Media Addiction

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I came across an interesting Masters Thesis from Eastern Illinois University on resilience and coping with respect to social media addiction. Although I did not read this in its entirety, the discussion section is worth reviewing. The author highlights the correlation between social media addiction and avoidant coping skills. Furthermore, depression proved to be the greatest predictor of social media addiction. Take a look at the thesis here.
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Gambling, Gaming, and Technology Use Knowledge Exchange

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An interesting look at writer, Ian Bogost's thoughts on Gaming Disorder. Clearly, he has not had first hand experience with a gaming addict when he argues that "games don't provoke physical reactions like tolerance and withdrawal the way narcotics do." I would suggest that he spend time in a room with a child who has visible tremors, brain exhaustion, and erratic and sometimes violent reactive behavior when withdrawing from gaming. What are your thoughts on his idea that a "Behavioral...
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ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use

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CNN just posted on a study linking ADHD with digital media use - a risk factor we identify in our own evidence-based resources . After analyzing the self-reported symptoms and digital media survey responses, the researchers found that each additional high-frequency engagement in a digital media activity was associated with higher odds of having ADHD symptoms at each follow-up point. However, the study, which was published in the medical journal JAMA , sheds light on how more research is...
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Can researchers tell how general populations feel by monitoring twitter?

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A Wired.com article explored some research that British researchers did over a 4 year period on 800 million tweets to analyze mood/content of tweet and time of tweet. As the title states, they found patterns of being analytical in the morning and angsty at night. Could this have clinical implications? Will a harm reduction approach to social media be to go on in the morning but not later as the day progresses? If clients are struggling with their mood and tend to feel worse after viewing...
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Increases in technology use among Ontario students

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According to the 2017 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), there have been increases in social media and technology use among Ontario students. Further, this article (released today) states that: "Five per cent of secondary school students reported symptoms suggesting they had a serious problem with use of technology". This is the first time that the survey included items related to symptoms of problem technology use. Hopefully this sets a precedent for further research in...
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is the news the new FOMO?

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https://www.wired.com/2017/08/fomo/ This article from WIRED magazine asks us to think about how FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) of breaking news impacts on our lives. With recent tragic events, weather related disasters and "notable people" posting on social media, do you find yourself revisiting your social media and news platforms again and again for newer and more information? We often talk with our clients about taking breaks from technology, and from social media especially for those who are...
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Young people think they spend too much time on their cellphones

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Pew research released an interesting study about screen time that finds that roughly half of U.S. teens say they spend too much time on their cellphones and about the same proportion say they have tried to cut down. Similarly, 57% had tried to cut down on social media and 58% tried to cut down on video gaming. The report also includes information about parents own use of technology and how they feel about screen time for their children. This is timely given the recent announcement from Apple...
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Screen time and ADHD

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ADHD is a risk factor for developing problem technology use. There has also been some discussion in the popular media about whether screen time causes ADHD. Leonard Sax, a psychologist and author (Boys Adrift) who spoke at our forum in 2017 was featured in an article in Psychology Today titled, "Does Too Much Screen Time Really Cause ADHD?". In the article, he refers to a study, the first of its kind on the topic. Take a look at the article and see what you think.
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Fortnite cited in 200 divorce cases in 2018 in the UK

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Fortnite implicated in divorce proceedings I must admit, that when I first saw that headline in various places on social media, I thought it might have been a satire piece from the Onion or something similar. When I dug a bit deeper, it was revealed that is in, in fact, true. A couple of things struck me with this headline: 1) I'm so curious about other jurisdictions now and how many other couples would cite gaming as a factor in their relationship breakup. 2) It also calls attention to the...
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RCMP Youth Trends Report Fall 2018

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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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Teens and Social Media, suprising results?

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Common Sense Media did a survey about teens and social media. The results indicated that teens felt social media made them feel better about themselves. Interestingly, they also noted that for youth who were already having a difficulty time, social media made them feel worse. Check out the infographic for information about teens and distracted driving and other aspects of their social media use.
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Screen time, social media and tech use among Ontario high school students: Webinar this Thursday!

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Why are 20% of Ontario high school students spending 5 hours or more everyday on electronic devices in their spare time? To hear more about screen time, social media use and other findings from the 2017 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) register for this webinar this Thursday September 27 th from 1-2:30pm (EDT). Target audience: Public health, teachers, policy-makers , mental health leads, counsellors, and service providers. REGISTER HERE: https://OSDUHS-2017.eventbrite.com
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Gambling, Gaming, and Technology Use Knowledge Exchange

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This link just came across my emails this morning. It is a Family Media Plan and Media Time Calculator. This helps families set personalized goals and rules around tech time. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.aspx
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How mental illness is discussed on the internet

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armchair diagnosing is dangerous In the article linked above, they discuss one social media influencer who has created an 8 part documentary series examing the perceived mental health issues of another social media influencer. One of the concerns that gets examined is the idea that they lump bad behaviour in with mental health issues. This can have the impact of increasing stigma for those who deal with mental health issues. Another concern noted is that the one influencer is talking about...
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How to delete Facebook and Instagram - really

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Deleting instructions This article was written for people concerned abut their data and photos being out there in the Facebook world after their recent spate of hacking attacks. The clear information could also be helpful for those struggling with their social media use and looking to remove themselves. Be warned, however. It is a process to ACTUALLY delete a facebook account. Even after you have followed all of the steps, they still give you a 30 day period where you can change your mind.
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Teens say social media not so bad....

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Gen Z say social media not so bad...sort of... This article (from Buzzfeed, but with actual research attached to it) shows some stats on how not all teens find social media so bad after all. Then they go on to say that while it's not so bad, they also don't like all the drama that occurs on social media and 26% say it makes them feel worse about their own lives. I would wonder, if the article should be focused not on those who say it isn't so bad, but highlight the percentages who struggle...
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CAMH Monitor e-Report 2017 - Gambling, Gaming & Technology Use Rates in Ontario Adults

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The CAMH Monitor e-Report 2017 was just released, providing new gambling, gaming and technology use prevalence rates for Ontario adults. Below are some highlights. Gambling: The most common gambling activity was buying lottery tickets. 23.4% of adults reported betting on slots or table games at a casino in the past year, while 3.7% bet money online. 1.2% of Ontario adults had a moderate to high risk of gambling problems in the past year. Gaming & Technology Use: 5.6% of Ontario adults...
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Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

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Longitudinal data from adolescents and young adults show no evidence that social media use predicts later depressive symptoms. However, the findings do show that relatively higher depressive symptoms predicted later social media use among adolescent girls. This research stands in contrast with recent claims that adolescents' use of social media may lead to depression, claims based primarily on studies that examined associations between average social media use and average well-being measured...
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New UK report says social media addiction should be a disease

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The Royal Society of Public Health in the UK has argued that social media addiction's toll on young people's mental health warrants it being classified as a disease. Read the article in the Guardian and the full report .
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Too much screen time for the kids? Grandparents may also be complicit

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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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Social media, but not video games, linked to depression in teens, according to Montreal study

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Screen time — and social media in particular — is linked to an increase in depressive symptoms in teenagers, according to a new study by researchers at Montreal's Sainte-Justine Hospital. Conrod and her colleague, Elroy Boers, found that the increased symptoms of depression are linked to being active on platforms such as Instagram, where teens are more likely to compare their lives to glitzy images in their feeds. The most surprising finding for Boers was that time spent playing video games...
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ESports: 16-year-old Fortnite video game world champ wins $3M

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This past weekend, the world's largest Fortnite esports tournament took place at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. The tournament, where qualifying gamers compete to get the most points in the Fortnite video game in front of both in-person and online audiences, is one of many esports tournaments that take place annually. At this particular tournament, there was $30 million USD in cash prizes. The winner, a 16 year old gamer, took home a $3 million USD prize, while the second place winner...
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Panicking About Your Kids Phones? New Research Says Don’t

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A growing number of academics are challenging assumptions about the negative effects of social media and smartphones on children. SAN FRANCISCO — It has become common wisdom that too much time spent on smartphones and social media is responsible for a recent spike in anxiety, depression and other mental health problems, especially among teenagers. But a growing number of academic researchers have produced studies that suggest the common wisdom is wrong. The latest research, published on...
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Re: How mental illness is discussed on the internet

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There are so many horrible things and misinformation on the internet regarding mental health and addictions. In a sea of confusion, it's hard to find the truth. I think it's critical for those of us working in this field to stop using jargon and psychobabble to reach the general population. People are looking for credible information that they can understand and share on social media. I saw a "problem solving" cartoon the other day that showed someone who hung himself and the other person...
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Re: How mental illness is discussed on the internet

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Alison, That is a horrific image that was posted on FB. I can't believe that nothing was done even after you notified FB. It's interesting that those platforms (ie FB and IG) will remove and mark as inappropriate a picture of a woman breast feeding her child but not what you reported. I was listening to a podcast where people who have diagnosed OCD talked about their experiences, shared parts of their daily lives that have been impacted by their OCD and talked about how hurtful it is when...
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Re: Bell Let's Talk - part of the problem?

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I really don't think there is much substance to this article. Screen time, social media and all-the-time internet access is the reality of today. Not everyone abuses or is negatively affected by these mediums just as not every person who drinks is addicted to alcohol. I agree that there does seem to be some sort of shallowness to the campaign but it does get people talking. Moreover, I agree with the possible negative effects of these new communication mediums. However, it is not as if this...
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Re: Bell Let's Talk - part of the problem?

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I completely agree Aaron! Bell is not to blame for mental health prevalence, stigma, and or self-esteem issues. It is merely a medium, as you put, a vessel by which content is delivered. People like to make the argument that perhaps Bell is enabling mental health issues but perhaps it is also enabling change - which is exactly the purpose of the BellLetsTalk campaign. For a campaign that brought in $7.2M in grants (800k being put towards Indigenous communities), not to mention the level of...
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Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

Registered Member ·
Similar sentiments echoed in this article (which also asks bigger questions about how previous studies have analyzed datasets...) https://www.scientificamerican...eem-to-be-all-right/
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Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

Registered Member ·
I recently had a discussion with my father about the effects of social media and online immersion. We attempted to discuss whether or not this truly was a turning point in human history; a medium which will alter the human condition forever. I felt hesitant to oblige to such a strong prediction. As Steven Pinker mentioned in his book "The Better Angels of Our Nature", the printing press and the resulting flurry of reading material, was interpreted at the time as a scourge within the younger...
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Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

Registered Member ·
Aaron, I think you're right in that nothing is ever purely positive or negative. Interestingly, a lot of the discussion around social media use come from a place of privilege. I often think about this tweet (and link) from the Pew Research Center: "80% of blacks say social media highlight important issues that might not get a lot of attention otherwise; the same share of whites say these sites distract from more important issues https:// pewrsr.ch/2zw872s "
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Re: Data show no evidence that teens' social media use predicts depression over time

Registered Member ·
Hi Simon, That is a very interesting point, one of which I had not thought of before. Thank you for bringing that to my attention
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Re: Sit less, play more: WHO wades in on screen time use for children

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Since we are just starting to understand the impacts of screen time on youth, it is likely difficult to come up with evidence-based universal recommendations for screen time. However, in addition to the time spent using screens, I think it is also important to consider what the screen is being used for (e.g., social media, educational games, video gaming, etc.) and like you mentioned, ensure youth balance screen time with physical activity.
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Re: Resilience and Coping Strategies for Social Media Addiction

Registered Member ·
Thanks for sharing this thesis, Howie! It's a very interesting topic!
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Re: ADHD study links teens' symptoms with digital media use

Registered Member ·
Great article, Howie. And thanks for shedding light on your personal experiences, Elaine. It's interesting because most of the theories I've heard concerning the link between ADHD and digital media use focus on how the symptoms of ADHD (e.g., inattentiveness, impulsivity, etc.) put a person at risk for developing problematic technology use as an unhealthy way of coping with/expressing these symptoms. However, in your son's case, it appears that his video gaming preceded his ADHD symptoms.
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Re: Increases in technology use among Ontario students

Registered Member ·
Thanks for sharing, Matt! I just noticed the release announcement earlier this morning too. Some interesting findings include: One-in-five (20%) students spend five hours or more on social media daily, which is significantly higher in 2015 (16%) and 2013 (11%). 30% of secondary school students spend five hours or more per day on electronic devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, gaming consoles) recreationally. 23% of students play video games daily or almost daily. 9% of students...
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Re: is the news the new FOMO?

Registered Member ·
Thanks for sharing this, Beth. This is a really interesting perspective and one that could play a role in harm reduction, as you mentioned. I think more research is needed to understand the interplay between social media and mental health. I came across a news article entitled "Does social media actually decrease anxiety?" that was recently featured in the Globe and Mail and discusses some of the different findings in the research about whether social media decreases or increases anxiety,...
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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: Gambling, Gaming, and Technology Use Knowledge Exchange

Registered Member ·
Bogost's article raises some interesting questions about behaviours such as internet, smartphone, and social media overuse. Perhaps we need more research on these behaviours to better understand the similarities and differences?
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Re: Gambling, Gaming, and Technology Use Knowledge Exchange

Registered Member ·
Thank you so much for sharing the article, Elaine. It was very thought provoking. I had some initial responses to his article (in italics). My Responses to “Why Is There a ‘Gaming Disorder’ But NO ‘Smartphone Disorder’ article in The Atlantic by Ian Bogost on June 28, 2018. The ICD has not "decided" that if you play video games a lot, you might suffer from a mental health issue: Gaming disorder.” They have determined based on research and consultations with experts that those that are...
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Re: CTV interview Should addiction to video games be considered a disease?

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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"

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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 on Parent-Child "Technoference"

Registered Member ·
This is such important information for parents to understand in terms of interpersonal development with their young children. Although much of my Video Gaming Disorder Talk covers gaming teens and young adults, its important for parents to realize how their own behaviour with texting, emails and social media may be a contributing factor in the outbursts and tantrums they are seeing when removing gaming devices or reducing the hours their child spends gaming. Here's a good video clip with...
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Re: Research/Stats on Professional Gamblers and their income

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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
Discussion Topic

Assessing gaming disorder: Expert opinions

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Gaming disorder can be difficult to assess, as there are concerns about over pathologizing normal or potentially healthy behaviours. A new study surveyed 29 international experts until consensus was reached about useful criteria for assessing gaming disorder. This study helps clinicians with creating their own assessments to ensure they're looking at the most relevant features in their assessment to target as well as ensure they're not problematizing less relevant features. An interesting...
 
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