Internet Activities During Leisure: A Comparison Between Adolescents With ADHD and Adolescents From the General Population

Abstract

Adolescents' leisure activities are increasingly focusing on Internet activities and today, these co-exist with traditional leisure activities such as sport and meeting friends. Objective: To investigate leisure activities, particularly Internet activities, among boys and girls with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and compare these to boys and girls from the general population. The objective was also to explore how traditional leisure activities and

Media Use, Sleep Quality, and ADHD Symptoms in a Community Sample and a Sample of ADHD Patients Aged 8 to 18 Years

“…As expected, total media time increased on weekends in both groups; however, patients’ screen time exceeded remarkable 5 hr per day, suggesting that affected children spend a great amount of their spare time with electronic devices. In support of our findings, there is evidence that girls and boys with ADHD are less frequently involved in traditional leisure activities, such as meeting with friends, sports, and acting/dancing, and express less enjoyment in extracurricular activities than typically developed children do (Bolic Baric et al, 2018; Shimoni, Engel-Yeger, & Tirosh, 2010). Bolic Baric et al (2018) found that patients with ADHD prefer Internet-based channels to engage in social interactions with their peers, possibly to avoid confrontation with their behavioral difficulties and ascertaining feelings of competence (Shimoni et al, 2010).…”

“…Although there is still no comprehensive information about media use in ADHD, the scant studies undertaken so far indicate that individuals with ADHD are more attracted to electronic media and engage in more screen time than typically developed peers (Acevedo-Polakovich, Lorch, & Milich, 2007; Bolic Baric, Hellberg, Kjellberg, & Hemmingsson, 2018). Examining the association of the availability of a bedroom TV with total screen time among 6- to 17-year-olds with ADHD revealed that they spend 150 min per weekday watching TV, watching videos, or playing video games (Lo, Waring, Pagoto, & Lemon, 2015).…”

ICTs and Music in Special Learning Disabilities

“…The current study provides new insight into several leisure activities, including a variety of specific Internet activities, particularly online and video games that characterize leisure among boys and girls with ADHD, compared with adolescents from the general population [13]. Leisure activities can provide adolescents with an opportunity to develop skills and competencies, increased physical and psychological development, and a sense of belonging.…”

“…Leisure activities can provide adolescents with an opportunity to develop skills and competencies, increased physical and psychological development, and a sense of belonging. Conclusively internet activities, especially social communities and downloading music, might provide adolescents with ADHD with accessible means of social interaction where individuals can interact with each other in physical and virtual spaces [13].…”

“…Illustrating the reflection of a composer's or performer's emotions onto his/her music, it seems that there is also a relation between musical expression and psychopathology, which is shown in the work of great composers [12]. Another study investigates leisure activities, particularly Internet activities, among boys and girls with ADHD and compares these with children from the general population [13].…”