Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Araghchi to Grossi: These parties will bear responsibility for the consequences of their actions
Araghchi to Grossi: Iran will respond to any unlawful action by European countries or parties attempting to turn the Agency into a tool for achieving their objectives
Araghchi to Grossi: We urge the Agency to warn against the consequences of any political move against Iran
Araghchi to Grossi: We call on the Agency to highlight Iran’s full cooperation during the upcoming Board of Governors meeting next week
Araghchi to Grossi: We demand that the Agency reflect the facts in a manner that prevents certain parties from exploiting it to advance their political agendas
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds a phone call with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi
Trump envoy Witkoff has sent 'detailed and acceptable proposal' to Iran for nuclear deal; it's in their best interest to accept it: White House Press Secretary Leavitt
Hamas official says Witkoff's position toward group was 'unfair' and shows 'complete bias' to 'Israel'
Hamas official says it has considered Witkoff's proposal acceptable for negotiations, says 'Israel's' response was incompatible with what the group agreed on
Hamas official says group has not rejected Wikoff's proposal for Gaza ceasefire

OCD and kids: video games, screen time linked to compulsive behavior

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Healthline
  • 17 Dec 2022 20:19
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

A recent study has found an association between screen time and the development of OCD in preteens, with playing video games and watching videos being the most strongly linked.

  • x
  • Video gaming is linked to OCD (Photo: China Photos / Getty Images)
    Video gaming is linked to OCD (Photo: China Photos / Getty Images)

A recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that the amount of time spent on screens by preteens was linked to the future development of the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

In fact, every hour of playing video games increases the risk that a child would develop OCD by 15%, according to to study lead author Dr. Jason Nagata, an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at the University of California San Francisco.

Every additional hour per day of watching videos, such as on YouTube, also increases the odds by 11%.

OCD is a mental disorder that features recurring and intrusive thoughts and makes a person feel urged to perform certain repetitive behaviors, the report says. According to the authors of the study, OCD can have severely debilitating effects that continue to a person's adult life.

How the study was conducted

Nagata and his team chose to examine kids aged 9 and 10 for their study since OCD tends to peak around these ages. 

The study evaluated over 9,000 American children who were analyzed using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.

The study was almost equally balanced between girls and boys and was racially and ethnically diverse, and researchers examined data at baseline and two years later.

To determine the time spent on screens, every child took a survey that included questions on how many hours they usually spent on various types of screens, including watching TV or movies, playing video games, watching videos, video chatting, texting, and social media. The results were used to calculate the screen time children engage in on a usual day.

A diagnostic tool, the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (KSADS-5), was used to evaluate whether the study participants had OCD at the two-year mark, and researchers found that every additional hour of total screen time was connected to higher odds of having an OCD diagnosis after two years.

Spending hours playing video games and watching videos were the most strongly two screen uses linked to OCD.

Screen time may be linked to OCD development in preteens

In an interview with Healthline, Nagata said that kids who spent a great deal of time playing video games revealed a need to play more and more and an inability to stop even when they needed or wanted to.

“Intrusive thoughts about video game content could develop into obsessions or compulsions,” he explained.

YouTube videos can allow for compulsive viewing, Nagata noted, saying that algorithms and advertisements can exacerbate obsessions and compulsions.

Researchers had one “interesting” observation during the study: no association between traditional television viewing and OCD was found, he noted.

“With traditional television, it’s harder to be so focused on only one area as there are limited channels and programming,” he explained.

  • United States
  • OCD
  • ABCD Study
  • YouTube
  • Videogames
  • screen time
  • Compulsive behavior

Most Read

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
MIT bans class president who gave pro-Palestine speech
US & Canada

MIT bans class president over pro-Palestine speech

Arab ministers condemn Israel 'ban' on planned West Bank visit
Politics

Arab ministers condemn Israeli ban on planned West Bank visit

Major General Hu Gangfeng, Vice President, National Defense University, People's Liberation Army, China, leaves after a panel discussion during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Politics

China blasts Hegseth, calls US top 'troublemaker' in Asia-Pacific

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: Reports
Technology

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: NBC News

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS