On the Edge of the Digital Tipping Point: Addressing Problematic Technology Use in Children and Adolescents-Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Chuck Wisniewski, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, provides a comprehensive overview of problematic digital technology use, focusing on its impact on attention, motivation, and reward processing in youth. Emphasizing the prevalence of social media and smartphone use among teens—who average nearly five hours daily—he discusses the difficulties in defining and diagnosing internet addiction, which is considered a behavioral addiction akin to substance abuse disorders. He introduces the IPACE model to explain the interplay of individual characteristics, emotional states, cognition, and executive functioning in developing addictive behaviors.<br /><br />The talk highlights how features like variable ratio reinforcement (e.g., likes and notifications), social pressure, fear of missing out (FOMO), infinite scroll, freemium games, and cognitive overload exploit adolescents' vulnerable developing brains, promoting compulsive use. Negative outcomes include disrupted sleep, decreased productivity, social isolation, and links to psychiatric conditions such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and increased suicide risk. The neurobiological basis involves dopamine reward pathways that create feedback loops reinforcing digital behaviors.<br /><br />Dr. Wisniewski also explains AI components, including machine learning and recommendation algorithms, which perpetuate addiction by maximizing user engagement and data capture. He notes the challenges in screening and assessing problematic use, advocating for thoughtful questioning and use of updated scales. Practical management includes promoting intentional use, setting consistent limits, modeling healthy behaviors, minimizing notifications, and fostering offline connections. Intervention may require professional help for severe cases.<br /><br />Finally, he stresses the importance of advocacy and community involvement to regulate technology use and protect youth, noting ongoing legislative efforts and encouraging open conversations to mitigate the risks of digital technology while acknowledging its potential benefits.

Keywords

digital technology addiction

child and adolescent psychiatry

social media impact

internet addiction diagnosis

IPACE model

variable ratio reinforcement

dopamine reward pathways

AI recommendation algorithms

behavioral addiction

youth mental health