Study Links Autism, ADHD to Game Addiction

July 29, 2013

News Review From Harvard Medical School -- Study Links Autism, ADHD to Game Addiction

Boys with autism or attention disorders may be more likely to become addicted to video games, a small study suggests. The study included 56 boys with autism spectrum disorder and 44 boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Their parents answered questions about video game habits. They also were asked about the boys' autism or ADHD symptoms. Parents of 41 boys with more typical development also were asked about video game habits. The boys' ages ranged from 8 to 18. Habits linked with video game addiction were more common among boys with autism or ADHD. Attention problems also were linked with problem video game use. Among boys with autism, signs of addiction were more common for those who preferred role-playing games. Boys with autism played video games an average of 2.1 hours daily. They played almost twice as much as boys with typical development, who played 1.2 hours a day. Playing time was in between for boys with ADHD. The journal Pediatrics published the study. HealthDay News wrote about it July 29.

By Claire McCarthy, M.D.
Harvard Medical School

What Is the Doctor's Reaction?

Boys who have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder are more likely to get addicted to video games than those who don't.

That's the finding of a new study. Results were just published in the journal Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Researchers from Missouri asked parents of boys with ADHD or autism to answer questions about the video game habits of their sons. They were compared with the answers given by parents of boys who had more typical development.  

The researchers asked about:

• Daily hours of video game use
• Whether the boys had video game consoles in their bedrooms
• The kinds of video games they played
• Signs of addiction and other problems with video game use

Parents also were asked about particular symptoms of ADHD and autism.

Here's what the study found:

• Boys with autism spent the most time playing video games of the three groups. Boys with ADHD were in between boys with autism and those with typical development.
• Both the boys with autism and those with ADHD were much more likely than boys with typical development to be addicted to video games.
• Boys who had particular trouble with paying attention were more likely to be addicted to video games.
• Boys who preferred "role-playing" games, such as the Pokemon series, were more likely to have problems with video game addiction.
• Boys with autism were much less likely to play "shooter" games. (Perhaps that's because these games can make the player feel anxious. People with autism are already at higher risk of anxiety.)
• Boys with ADHD and autism were more likely than boys with typical development to have game consoles in their bedrooms.

What Changes Can I Make Now?

If you are a parent of a boy with ADHD or autism, or someone who works with or spends time with them, you should pay attention to this study.

Video games can be entertaining, and a nice escape for youth who struggle emotionally or socially. But video game addiction can be harmful. It can get in the way of schoolwork, relationships and more healthy activities such as exercise. It can also lead to anxiety and depression.

Some research suggests that excessive video game use can create attention problems or make them worse. It may also have this effect on other aspects of "executive function," such as problem-solving, cooperation and delayed gratification. Youth with ADHD and autism already struggle with these areas. Video games can make things worse.

The researchers don't know why more boys with ADHD or autism had video consoles in their bedrooms.  It may be that the parents allow this because it makes their sons happy. Or maybe it helps with controlling some of their difficult behaviors. But this study shows that there could be a definite downside as well.

Parents should talk with their child's doctor and the other members of the care team about this issue. Together they can figure out the best way to manage and handle the role of video games in the child's life.

What Can I Expect Looking to the Future?

Video games are becoming more and more a part of daily life for many youth and families. At the same time, we are seeing more autism and more ADHD.  This study makes it clear that we need to proceed with caution when it comes to mixing video games with autism or ADHD. More research is needed to really understand this and help parents and caregivers make the best decisions. I hope that this study will help encourage that research.