Duration of Electronic Media Use May Correlate Negatively with Quality of Life of Turkish Youth with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis: A Single-Center, Cross-Sectional, Case-Control Study

Abstract

Objective: First purpose of the current study is to compare the duration of electronic media usage of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with healthy controls. Second aim is to investigate the effects of electronic media use on quality of life (QoL) in both groups. Methods: Ninety-nine individuals aged between 6 and 18, diagnosed with ADHD after psychiatric examination, were investigated with regard to electronic media usage duration and QoL and compared with control group. Results: No significant difference was found between groups regarding average daily electronic media usage (ADHD group 5.42±4.08 hours, control group 5.60±4.68 hours; z=0.30, p=0.762) except for tablet use which was higher in the control group. Adolescents used computers and cell phones significantly more than pre-adolescent children. Tablet usage duration is found to have a negative relationship with school QoL (r=-0.399, p<0.001) in ADHD group and computer use duration has a negative relationship with physical QoL (r=-0.339, p<0.001) in the control group. Conclusion: Excessive electronic media usage may have different detrimental effects on QoL both for healthy children and children with ADHD. Taking preventive measures against excessive electronic media usage may be crucial for the healthy development and improved QoL among children instead of clinical diagnosis.