Our digital addiction

Are we addicted to technology? How early are addiction problems revealed through a person’s use of phones, gaming and online gambling? It’s younger than you may think – and it’s an escalating issue that Associate Professor Daniel King is addressing with a broad sweep of research, motivated by an interest in the human relationship to digital technology.

“Digital media has many benefits in our lives, but there are a significant number of people who are at risk or in trouble with technology addictions,” says Associate Professor King. “The rapid pace at which digital technologies evolve means that there are new issues arising all the time, and many technologies affect the mental health of teenagers.”

A recent focus of Associate Professor King’s research has been assessing a South Australian state government-mandated ban on mobile phone use by students at school. “It’s been tried before in a few places around the world, and was implemented in SA this year. With the support of the Department for Education, we are examining how removing phones affects adolescents’ school life – school achievement and school connectedness, mental health and social relationships. There are so many connected facets to consider, and we are learning about this complex issue from the perspectives of students, parents and teachers.”

A key area of research is problem gaming. It’s a field complicated by rapid advances in technology, and becoming ever more monetised, from subscriptionbased games and pushes to purchase in-game loot boxes and other microtransactions, through to the rise of betting and promotions via esports.

“We are seeing more people with gaming problems reporting the same kinds of financial difficulties that affect problem gamblers. People are getting into major debt due to overspending on gambling-like digital goods, which are unregulated and available to users 24/7, and have even fewer consumer protections than gambling products.”

Problematic gaming is a significant health issue worldwide and has much in common with problem gambling, with the global prevalence estimated to be about 2% – and much higher among male adolescents.

Having been integral in identifying and defining gaming disorder – which in 2019 became an official diagnosis with inclusion in the World Health Organization’s ICD-11 list (the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases) – Associate Professor King has also been working to identify practical interventions for individuals and families who experience gaming-related problems.

However, he is concerned that Australia is lagging behind European countries such as Germany, and Asian countries including Japan and South Korea, in measuring the scope of online addiction problems, even though we know they exist. “For such a prosperous country, Australia has committed very minimal resources to identify and help people with these problems. I regularly receive emails from parents who say their 16-year-old has stopped going to school and only plays video games and they are desperate for help – but don’t know where to turn. If the Australian Government can support the local gaming industry, as it has done with federal tax offsets, for example, then more in the way of supporting player health and wellbeing should be possible too.”

Associate Professor King has conducted many large surveys of frequent gamers and their family members, to identify practical strategies and interventions that may address the range of problematic game behaviours. Many gamers have expressed support for broad prevention strategies including educational guidelines, game-time selfmonitoring tools and game content information. In a recent study, about half of the respondents supported school-based education and age restrictions on playing online games. They were also supportive of outpatient treatment options for gaming disorder, such as psychological therapy or counselling.

“Even though most gamers report great fondness for their games, and rightly defend games as a worthy recreational pursuit, they are also pragmatic and recognise that some people need help with problem gaming. I think it’s especially important that young gamers are supported to enjoy the hobby in balance with other important life activities and prioritise the other things that are most important to them.”

Associate Professor King says there is a need for improved assessment, prevention and intervention options for problem gaming, including educational resources and prevention strategies to address unhealthy gaming habits in young people. He also says further research and policy attention is needed on game features, particularly unregulated in-game spending (loot boxes), that contribute to excessive time and money spent on gaming to the detriment of a gamer’s health and wellbeing.

He laments that the gaming industry has done very little to support international efforts to recognise and respond to problem gaming, and has often expressed its opposition to the health community’s concerns about gaming and other online-related disorders.

“The gaming industry is in prime position to contribute meaningfully to Australia’s gaming disorder problem – one way would be to provide researchers with access to data on behavioural patterns that likely indicate harmful use. Many game providers could easily identify users who may be exhibiting signs of losing control over their gaming, and we could sync these measures with clinical and population health measures to better understand player’s needs. But the industry tends to be silent or resistant for whatever reason. Ultimately, we need better ways to reach these players and families to provide support, otherwise this national problem will persist and likely get worse.”