DIGITIZING OURSELVES TO DEATH

Transcription

1 DIGITIZING OURSELVES TO BC Pediatric Society Conference 2015, Vancouver, BC Benjamin Wong, Youth and Family Program Richmond Addiction Services Society

2 Core Objectives for Session To consider problem video gaming as a condition with physiological, social and psychological health consequences. To understand challenges presented by a technophilic culture and its implications on development of healthy brains. To consider a purpose-driven, evidence-informed approach as best practice in areas of parenting, education and psychosocial services in our encounter with the technophilic society we must negotiate with. To consider the POSSIBILITY that screen technology usage plays, at best, a minimal supportive role and, at worst, a downright harmful role in healthy child development.

3 When you observed signs... Seek Help!

4 Signs of Problem Video Gaming Missing school or work to game. Excessively monitoring gaming/campaign results. Forgetting or ignoring personal hygiene. Creating opportunities to play games. Losing interest in other activities once enjoyed. Most of non-school hours are spent on video games. Falling asleep in school; tardiness at work. Not keeping up with school/work assignments. Declining grades. Lying about the extent of screen time or video game use.

5 Signs of Problem Video Gaming (con t) Choosing to use the computer or play video games, rather than see friends. Dropping out of social groups (clubs or sports) in order to play games. Stealing money in order to make game-related purchases. Irritable when not playing a video game or on the computer. Unsuccessful attempts to cut back on game play.

6 Assessment: 3 Cs of Addiction Control - there are repeated attempts to cut back or control use, with episodes or loss of control in between. Compulsion - a person experiences a sense that they must use. Can be due to tolerance, withdrawal or psychological need. Consequences - use is continued despite significant negative consequences.

7 Assessment: Physiological Consequences Tolerance the person needing more and more of the addictive behavior/experience in order to obtain as close as possible the highest of high Withdrawal the experience of the opposite effects obtained from video gaming and internet use. Brain circuits that suffer alteration 1 : 1. Endorphin Circuit 2. Dopamine Circuit 3. Impulse Control Circuit 4. Stress Response Circuit 1 Kuhn, C., Wilson, W. (2005) How addiction hijacks our reward system. The Dana Foundation.

8 When you choose to best prepare your child for his/her future negotiation with a technological society Restrict Accompany Monitor

9 Video Gaming Video game use has increased over time; about 9 out of 10 American children and teens play video games 1 Research shows that video gaming effects are NOT trivial; effects found in short-term and longterm contexts 2 1 Gentile, Anderson, Gentile, & Dill, 2012

10 Prevalence of Video Gaming Addiction 8.5% of youth between ages 8 to 18 in United States 1 8.7% in Singapore % and 10.8% in China 3,4 8.0% in Australia % in Germany 6 7.5% in Taiwan 7 1 Gentile, Choo et al., Peng & Li, Peng, Mai, & Jing, Porter, Starcevic, Berle, & Fenech, Grusser, Thalemann, & Griffiths, Ko, Yen, Yen, Lin, & Yang, 2007

11 Children seem so easily drawn to screens... Why is the digital world attractive/addictive?

12 Features of the Digital World Anonymity Autonomy Reward Mechanism Low-effort, High-reward Realism Busyness/Preoccupation

13 Core Human Needs the Digital World Satisfies: Attention Affection Affirmation Acceptance Satisfaction Security Significance

14 When you choose to best prepare your child for his/her future negotiation with a technological society Restrict Accompany Monitor

15 Subjects to take into account: Prevalence of video gaming addiction A problem, not only a symptom Comorbidity How much is too much? Assessment/Diagnosis

16 How is addictive behavior formed? Enabling Environment + Vulnerable Person + Access to Internet/Casino/Drugs/Porn/Credit Cards can = Dependency / Addiction

17 Most caregivers attempt to deal with Enabling Environment + Vulnerable Person + Access to Internet/Casino/Drugs/Porn/Cr edit Cards can = Dependency / Addiction

18 Clinical interventions attempt to address Enabling Environment + Vulnerable Person + Access to Internet/Casino/Drugs/Porn/Credit Cards can = Dependency / Addiction

19 Subjects to take into account: (con t) What intervention attempts to address? Examining video gaming as an addictive/problematic/harmful choice of behavior as it relates to the needs to healthy brain development

20 Subjects to take into account: (con t) Problem Video Everything Else

21 Subjects to take into account: (con t) iparenting Stands For Intelligent Parenting Teaching our young to Take Technology Seriously Teaching our young to Take Ourselves Seriously

22 Subjects to take into account: (con t) What are schools for? Battlefield: Schools What role should technology play in our children s learning? What role does technology actually play in our children s learning? What contributes to the increasing prevalence of learning disability and emotional dysregulation in our young?

23 What do I mean by Taking Technology Seriously?

24 Taking Technology Seriously Principles from Neil Postman 1. All technological changes are a Faustian Bargain 2. All technological changes result in benefits and costs that are NOT distributed evenly, therefore resulting in winners and losers. 3. Embedded in every new technology is a powerful idea. 4. The ideology behind a new technology always makes war against that behind an older technology. 5. All technological changes are ecological.

25 Taking Technology Seriously (con t) Principles from Neil Postman 1. All technological changes are a Faustian Bargain 2. All technological changes result in benefits and costs that are NOT distributed evenly, therefore resulting in winners and losers. 3. Embedded in every new technology is a powerful idea. 4. The ideology behind a new technology always makes war against that behind an older technology. 5. All technological changes are ecological.

26 Taking Technology Seriously (con t) Principles from Neil Postman 1. All technological changes are a Faustian Bargain 2. All technological changes result in benefits and costs that are NOT distributed evenly, therefore resulting in winners and losers. 3. Embedded in every new technology is a powerful idea. 4. The ideology behind a new technology always makes war against that behind an older technology. 5. All technological changes are ecological.

27 Taking Technology Seriously (con t) Principles from Neil Postman 1. All technological changes are a Faustian Bargain 2. All technological changes result in benefits and costs that are NOT distributed evenly, therefore resulting in winners and losers. 3. Embedded in every new technology is a powerful idea. 4. The ideology behind a new technology always makes war against that behind an older technology. 5. All technological changes are ecological.

28 Taking Technology Seriously (con t) Principles from Neil Postman 1. All technological changes are a Faustian Bargain 2. All technological changes result in benefits and costs that are NOT distributed evenly, therefore resulting in winners and losers. 3. Embedded in every new technology is a powerful idea. 4. The ideology behind a new technology always makes war against that behind an older technology. 5. All technological changes are ecological.

29 Questions Generated From Principle #1 that All technological changes are a Faustian Bargain 1. What problem does a particular technology solve? 2. What do we lose as a result of a technology s inclusion in our lives? In our society? 3. What new problems are created because we have solved certain problem(s) with a new technology?

30 Questions Generated (con t) From Principle #2 that All technological changes result in benefits and costs not distributed evenly, resulting in winners and losers 1. For whom does a particular technology solve problem(s)? 2. Who are the winners? The Losers? 3. How do the losers cheer on the winners? 4. What sort of people and institutions acquire special economic or political power because of technological changes? 5. Which people and institutions might be seriously harmed by the inclusion of this technology?

31 Questions Generated (con t) From Principle #3 that Embedded in every new technology is a powerful idea, sometimes several powerful ideas 1. How does a particular powerful idea alter our perception, outlook to life, attitude, and psychic habits?

32 Questions Generated (con t) From Principle #4 that The ideology behind a new technology always makes war against that behind an older technology 1. What values or traditions do we destroy or undermine due to the inclusion of a particular new technology?

33 Questions Generated (con t) From Principle #5 that All technological changes are ecological 1. What changes in language and attitude are being enforced by a new technology? What is gained and lost in the processes of these changes? 2. How do institutions that form the foundation of our civilized society (schools, religion, politics, commerce etc.) become different as a result of technological changes?

34 Core Objectives (recap) To consider problem video gaming as a condition with physiological, social and psychological health consequences. To understand challenges presented by a technophilic culture and its implications on development of healthy brains. To consider a purpose-driven, evidence-informed approach as best practice in areas of parenting, education and psychosocial services in our encounter with the technophilic society we must negotiate with. To consider the POSSIBILITY that screen technology usage plays, at best, a minimal supportive role and, at worst, a downright harmful role in healthy child development.

35 Questions? Thk u vry mch 4 ur tme. NE q s 4 me? benjamin@richmondaddictions.ca