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UK Study Spots Link Between Tech Addictions and ADHD Traits
A new study by researchers at Bournemouth University shows a link between various forms of technology addiction and traits of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), even among adults who have not been diagnosed with ADHD.
Findings were published in the journal Current Psychology.
From March 2022 to June 2022, Bournemouth researchers surveyed 150 adults who had never been diagnosed with ADHD about their use of social media, smartphone reliance, internet use, and online shopping habits. Survey participants were also asked to complete an established checklist for adults to report ADHD symptoms they experience, as well as the extent of those symptoms.
The study found that adults displaying signs of ADHD were more likely to experience some form of technology addiction. Individuals who had experienced inattention and hyperactivity were also found to be more likely to experience addiction problems around their use of social media and their smartphones. Inattention was the only symptom determined to be a predictor of potential excessive internet use.
Although a link between inattention and impulsivity and online shopping addiction was observed, the study’s researchers said the correlation was not strong enough to consider inattention and impulsivity a reliable predictor of online shopping addiction.
“Crucially, none of our participants have ever had a diagnosis of ADHD or received any psychological treatment in the past,” Bournemouth PhD researcher Tuba Aydin, the study’s lead author, said in a news release. “So, people need to be aware that just because you do not have ADHD, it does not mean that you cannot have symptoms of the condition, and you could still be vulnerable to technology addiction at some point in the future.”
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